Love Me for Me
by forensic.queen.7202
Summary: Ember March is strong, intelligent, beautiful, with a gift of pure power. Her life was shattered at a young age and she was forced to fix it herself. But when asked to go on a famous quest she took the opportunity. And one of the dwarves on the quest to reclaim his homeland, changes her life, in the way she didn't want, for the better. KilixOC, femBilboxThorin. Disclaimers inside
1. Chapter 1: The Shire and New Beginnings

**OK, as you know I tried doing this and it didn't go so well. But I'm redoing it, making it longer, and better.**

 **I still have Ember with Kili, but I added a Female Bilbo for Thorin. Sorry, but I love that pairing. I used the exact script from the movie, so disclaimers go to Peter Jackson and J.R.R. Tolkien. Hope you enjoy don't forget to R &R!**

 **Rated M for sexual content, alcohol use, graphic scenes of violence and gore, and mention of rape.**

I stared at myself in the mirror, blood was scattered on my clothes, but it wasn't mine. My hair had fallen out of its braid and was beginning to sprawl out over my back. I brushed it out of the way and moved it over my ears. My ears were pointed and I smiled as I lightly ran my finger over my right ear. My mother was an elf, scared and disappointed of her kin, so she ran away. My father was the leader of our small village. He was strong and kind, my mother was smart and beautiful. He found her, weak and starving, and they fell in love I guess. I could never really get what that must have been like. It was all confusing. They had me, a little girl with midnight black hair, and dark chocolate brown eyes, just like her mother. Then a few years later when their first daughter was four they had another girl she looked more like her father, red hair and green eyes. She was small, but kind, sweet to anyone she came by. Then two years later a little boy was born, he was a mix of the two black hair and green eyes.

As I remembered my family my fist clenched. It was hard for me to think of them. I tried not to think of them for it would throw my mind off.

I peeled my shirt off leaving my undergarments on. My torso was littered with scars, but the most prominent ones were the three that want from just under my collar all the way down to about my hip.

I changed into a clean top and clean breeches. My top was of black leather, it showed my shoulders before going down my arms. I slung my bow over my shoulder along with my quiver, then I strapped my curved knife sheath on my belt and I hid several small knives all over my body, one in each boot, one in each sleeve and a needle knife to hold my bun in place.

I pulled my black cloak over my shoulders and grabbed my bag and hurried out of the inn. Paying I rushed into the night. My horse was in the barn close by, I untied him, saddled him and rode through the night. Gandalf the Grey, one of my closest friends and the last thing I have to family told me to go to the Shire, a land of rolling hills and hobbits. And I had nothing to do at the moment so I listened.

* * *

I reached the Shire in a short amount of time, almost a day, and found the small hobbit door in which Gandalf had told me to come to. There was a small mark in Dwarfish upon the door. I slowly knocked on the door. And smirked.

"No. No. No. There are far too many dwarves in my house. Thank you for making the journey, but I'm sorry." The door reluctantly opened and a hobbit stood there looking up at me.

"Oh, you're not a dwarf. My apologies." She smiled at me before curtseying. I gave a slight curtsy in return.

"No offense taken. Ember March at your service." I smiled at the hobbit.

"Bilba Baggins at yours." She said before opening the door fully for me. I removed my coat and hung it on the rack as a show of good manner. Bilba smiled at me. She showed me to the kitchen where several dwarves were milling around carrying food.

"Excuse me. A tad excessive, isn't it? Have you got a cheese knife?" Bilba asked. I slightly smiled. She had beautiful strong gold curls that went to her shoulders and bright blue eyes. She was pretty,she had a full bright smile, if she chose to smile.

"Cheese knife? He eats it by the block." Another dwarf called out and I held back a laugh.

"No, no, that's Grandpa Mungo's chair! No, I'm sorry, you'll have to take it back please. Take it back...It's antique, not for sitting on! Thank you! That's a book, not a coaster. Put that map down, thank you." Bilba was scurrying around her home trying to get some of her things back.

"I cannot hear what you're saying!" One of the dwarves said.

The dwarves continued bringing all of Bilba's food and furniture into the dining room. I looked around for Gandalf in the Hobbit hole. But he was hard to find and I gave up. Until I felt a large familiar hand rest on my shoulder.

"I was hoping you would come."

"Hello Gandalf, why wouldn't I come someone has to take care of you. Plus work was getting hectic." I smirked as he rolled his eyes and smiled at me. A dwarf approached Gandalf with a tray and some tea.

"Excuse me, Mr. Gandalf, can I tempt you with a nice cup of chamomile tea?"

"Oh, no thank you, Dori. A little red wine for me, I think. Would you like anything dear?" Gandalf asked me and I shook my head. Gandalf looked at me and looked away. Gandalf walked out of the dining room, trying to avoid the scurrying dwarves. He hit his head on the chandelier, which caused me to let out a laugh. Then he began counting the dwarves on his fingers. I tried to remember their names as they walked by.

"Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori...Ori."

Bilba wrestled a bowl of tomatoes away from Nori. Bifur, the dwarf with an axe in his head, approached Gandalf and talked to him in Khuzdul and with body motions. I couldn't understand what be was saying but Gandalf could, perfectly.

"Yes, you're quite right, Bifur. We appear to be one dwarf short."

"He is late, is all. He travelled North to a meeting of our kin. He will come."

"Mr. Gandalf?"

"Hmmm?"

"A little glass of red wine, as requested. It's, eh, got a fruity bouquet."

"Ah, Cheers." Gandalf drank the tiny cup of wine Dori offered him, then looked sadly at the cup, wanting a little more. Dori turned around to get him more, but I stopped him.

"He's fine with the one," I said to Dori who shrugged and walked away. I looked at Gandalf, "Mm." That was all he said, and I slowly became concerned. The dwarves, sitting in Bilba's dining room, had a grand feast with all her food. They were quite rude and messy about it. Bofur threw some food to his brother, Bombur.

"Bombur, catch!" Bombur caught the food in his mouth, and everyone cheered. As everyone began throwing food around, Bilba walked away in disgust. She looked at her pantry in shock; it had been entirely cleared of food. And she had none of it for herself, I felt bad for her, for I knew she would never say anything to anyone about it. Fili walked on top of the table, carrying several cups of ale and knocking aside the food in his way.

"Who wants an ale? There you go."

"Let him have another drink!"

"Here you go." I noticed the sideways glances I received from some of the dwarves like Dwalin and Bofur. But there was one thing that made me feel more comfortable, I noticed Kili would throw in a glance, not one of disgust, but one of curiosity and then he would smile, and upon occasion I would smile back.

Dwalin poured his ale into Oin's hearing trumpet, and as Oin spluttered in anger, everyone else laughed including myself. Oin put his hearing trumpet to his mouth and blowed the ale out of it, making it squeal. One of the dwarves yelled, "On the count of three!" and the dwarves pounded their tankards together. Someone counted, "One!...Two!" Then all the dwarves went quiet and began drinking their ale together. They were incredibly messy, as ale fell all over their faces and ran down their beards. When finished drinking, they began burping; the youngest, Ori, let out the biggest burp. The dwarves laugh, but I gave a deep sigh, rolled my eyes, and covered them with my right hand. Bilba looked away in disgust.

When the meal finished, the dwarves left the table and began walking about. In their chaos, I grabbed two bright green apples from the table that were untouched, both of which I slid them into my bag. Then I walked into the kitchen. Bilba grabbed a doily back from Nori.

"Excuse me, that is a doily, not a dishcloth!"

"But it's full of holes!" Bofur interjected.

"It's supposed to look like that, it's crochet." Bilba said before giving a deep sigh.

"Oh, and a wonderful game it is too, if you got the balls for it."

"Bebother and confusticate these dwarves!" She breathed angrily where only Gandalf and I heard.

"My dear Bilba, what on earth is the matter?"

"What's the matter? I'm surrounded by dwarves. What are they doing here?" She quickly retorted.

"Oh, they're quite a merry gathering, once you get used to them." Nori had a chain of sausages over his shoulder, and Bofur grabbed them from him. They played tug of war with the sausages. I moved closer to Bilba to get out of the way.

"I don't want to get used to them. The state of my kitchen! There's mud trod into the carpet, they've pillaged the pantry. I'm not even going to tell you what they've done in the bathroom; they've all but destroyed the plumbing. I don't understand what they're doing in my house!" She stamped her foot as she breathed to try and regain composure. Ori came and interrupted the conversation.

"Excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?"

Fili came out of the hall before talking. "Here you go, Ori, give it to me." Fili took the plate from Ori and threw it to Kili, who threw it behind his back to Bifur, who was standing at the sink in the kitchen. Bifur caught it behind his back, without even looking at it. Kili, Fili, and other dwarves began throwing the plates, bowls, and utensils to each other, eventually throwing them to the sink to be washed. As dishware flies through the air, Gandalf ducked to avoid getting hit. At one point a bowl was headed straight for me, and I bent over backwards, in a perfect arch, to avoid it.

"Oh!" I heard Kili say and I looked at him, all before laughing, Kili joined in.

"Excuse me, that's my mother's West Farthing crockery, it's over a hundred years old!" Bilba said as she ran all over her house. The dwarves at the tablet began rhythmically drumming on the tablet with utensils and their fists. "And can you not do that? You'll blunt them!"

"Oh, hear that, lads? She says we'll blunt the knives."

Kili began singing and the other dwarves joined him, as they continued throwing the dishware.

"Blunt the knives, bend the forks

Smash the bottles and burn the corks

Chip the glasses and crack the plates

That's what Bilba Baggins hates!

Cut the cloth and tread on the fat

Leave the bones on the bedroom mat

Pour the milk on the pantry floor

Splash the wine on every door

Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl

Pound them up with a thumping pole

When you've finished, if any are whole

Send them down the hall to roll ...

That's what Bilba Baggins hates!" I doubled over laughing at the way it made no sense, but flowed perfectly.

Bilba huffed up in anger, only to find all the dishes stacked neatly and cleanly. The dwarves and Gandalf laughed. Suddenly, there were three loud knocks on the door, and everyone fell silent.

"He is here."

"Who? Who is here?" Bilba asked as we walked to the door. I looked at her and she looked at me confused, all I could do for her was shake my head and put one finger up to my lips. Gandalf opened the door, and there stood a dwarf, taller than most. He entered Bag End.

"Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door."

"Mark? There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!" I tried to hold her back, but she was strong against my grasp, plus her fingernails were sharp against my skin.

"There is a mark; I put it there myself. Bilba Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

"So, this is the Hobbit. Tell me, Miss Baggins, have you done much fighting?"

"Pardon me?" She asked confused, her brow furrowed.

"Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?" Thorin asked ignoring Bilba's questions.

"Well, I have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant."

"Thought as much. She looks more like a gardener than a burglar. And who is this?" Thorin gestured to me.

"Ah, this is Ember March."

"The one you told me about? Tell me Ember have you done any fighting?"

"Yes sir," I answered quite boldly, but inside I was shaking. Thorin nodded and so did Gandalf.

"Axe or sword?"

"Either yet I prefer bow or knives." Thorin nodded in approval before walking away. Once I was alone in the hall I collapsed against the wall. My legs were shaking, my heart was beating fast, and my breathing was shaky. I had never been so nervous in front of a person in my life. Once I regained the feeling in my legs I walked back toward the dining room.

Thorin ate, and the rest of them talked to him. I again sat next to Gandalf. He took out his pipe and gestured it toward me. I removed my right hand glove and flicked my wrist and a small things of flame appeared over it. I lit Gandalf's pipe before blowing it out and putting my glove back on. Gandalf nodded in appreciation. I smiled.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin asked Thorin.

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." The dwarves murmured their joy.

"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?"

"They will not come." The dwarves murmured in disappointment.

"They say this quest is ours, and ours alone." Further disappointed murmurs arose in the dining room.

"You're going on a quest?" Bilba asked with hope in her voice.

"Bilba, my dear lady, let us have a little more light." Bilba brought a candle to the table, where Gandalf had spread out a map which was in his pocket.

"Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak."

"The Lonely Mountain." Bilba read.

"Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time." Bloom called.

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold: When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end." Bilba, hearing "the beast," looked concerned.

"Uh, What beast?" She asked shyly.

"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks, extremely fond of precious metals "

"Yes, I know what a dragon is." She said with more attitude.

"I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie." Ori yelled, and I let out a hearty laugh. Several dwarves shouted.

"Sit down!" Dori said before pulling his brother back to his seat.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us. But we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest." The dwarves started objecting, saying things like, "Hey, who are you calling dim?" "Watch it!", and "No!"

"We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf!" Fili said, which got the dwarves cheering.

"And you forget, we have a wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time." Kili said, which caused me to give a slight scoff, silent to all but myself.

"Oh, well, now, uh, I .I. I. wouldn't say that, I ... "

"How many, then?" Dori injected egging him on.

"Uh, what?"

"Well, how many dragons have you killed? Go on, give us a number!"

"Hm. Go on give them a number, I'll cover for you." I whispered to him. Gandalf embarrassedly started coughing on his pipe smoke; the dwarves jumped to their feet, arguing about the number of dragons Gandalf had killed. Thorin jumped up in anger and bellows, silencing the rest.

"Shazara! If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor? Du Bekâr! Du Bekâr!"

All the dwarves cheered.

"You forget: the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain." Balin said as he thought logically.

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." Twiddling his fingers, Gandalf produced a dwarvish key, ornately wrought. Thorin looked at it in wonder.

"How came you by this?" Thorin asked bewildered.

"It was given to me by your father, by Thrain, for safekeeping. It is yours now."

Gandalf handed the key to Thorin as everyone looked on in wonder, including myself.

"If there is a key, there must be a door." Fili said and the dwarves nodded.

Gandalf pointed at runes on his map with his pipe.

"These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls."

"There's another way in!" Kili said before smiling at me.

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle Earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar." Ori called.

"Hm, A good one, too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilba said and nodded. Her gold curls bounced on her shoulders as she nodded.

"And are you?" Gloin asked her.

"Am I what?"

"She said she's an expert! Hey hey!" Several dwarves laughed.

"M e? No, no, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life." That was where we were different. "I'm afraid I have to agree with Miss Baggins. She's hardly burglar material." Bilba nodded in agreement.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." Dwalin stated. Bilba continued nodding in agreement.

"Aye, neither is it a place for a woman who can neither fight nor defend herself." Bofur said as the entire company looked at me. I felt anger rise up inside of me, and in one swift move I had pulled the needle knife from my bun,which caused my black curls out over my shoulders, and threw it in Bofur's direction, purposely hitting his hat, which caused it to stick to the wall. Silence fell over the dining room. I pushed my chair out from under me and stood up. The sound of my boots against the wood floor were the only sounds to be heard. I pulled the knife and hat from the wall.

"The next time this conversation is brought up, I'll make sure I won't miss." I said as I gave Bofur back his hat. Then I walked back to my seat mumbling under my breath. I pulled my hair off my shoulders to my back, all while expertly hiding my ears.

"A woman who cannot fight nor fend for herself my ass." I said under my breath as I sat down. The dwarves began arguing.

Gandalf, growing angry, rose to his full height and cast darkness over the group as started speaking in his "powerful" voice. The others stopped in awe.

"Enough! If I say Bilba Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar she is. And if I say Ember is to come with us, then no one should question it." Gandalf went back to his normal self.

"Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth and fifteenth members of this company, and I have chosen Miss Baggins and Miss March. There's a lot more to her than appearances suggest, and she's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including herself. You must trust me on this. And, Ember is rather trained, she is extremely skilled, and intelligent. I would find it rather profitable if she came along. I have known her for what seems like all her life. Her intelligence is incomparable along with her skills, she is light on her feet, and can be a valuable asset in a fight." Gandalf turned toward me and smiled, I felt heat rise in my cheeks when I saw Kili giving me the biggest smile out of the corner of my eye.

"Very well. We will do it your way."

"No, no, no." Bilba tried to reason her way out of it, but it proved unprofitable. No one listened to her.

"Give them both the contract." Thorin subtlety gestured to me as well.

"Please." Bilba asked quietly as I stood up.

"Alright, we're off!" Balin handed Bilba a long contract.

"It's just the usual summary of out of pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth." Balin said as he summarized it for me. I nodded.

"Funeral arrangements?" Bilba asked as she read. As Bilba stepped back a few feet to read the contract, Thorin leaned toward Gandalf and whispered to him. My skilled hearing perked up and I listened.

"I cannot guarantee her safety."

"Understood." Gandalf replied.

"Nor will I be responsible for her fate."

"Agreed." Bilba read parts of the contract out loud.

"Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fifteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations ... evisceration … incineration?"

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur said, almost proud. Bilba looked a little breathless.

"Huh."

"You all right, lassie?" Balin asked. Bilba bent over, nauseous and pained.

"Uh, yeah...Feel a bit faint."

"Think furnace with wings." Bofur said and stood up. I quickly took the contract from Bilba, signed it, and gave it back to her. She shook her head and tried to breathe.

"Air, I need air."

"Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! you're nothing more than a pile of ash." Bilba breathed heavily, trying to compose herself as the others stared at her. She stood up straight, and I thought she would be OK.

"Hmmm. Nope." Bilba fell on the floor in a faint.

"Ah, very helpful, Bofur." I said to him before rushing to her side. I had one of the dwarves carry her to her living room chair as I wet a dishcloth and made her a mug of coffee. I applied the cloth to the back of her neck, a trick my mother had taught me, and as she woke up I gave her the mug. Bilba was sitting on her chair, groggily and sort of cranky, holding the mug and talking to Gandalf. When I gave her the mug she mustered a smile as if to say thank you, I nodded and smiled in return.

"I'll be all right, let me just sit quietly for a moment."

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long. Tell me; when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you? I remember a young Hobbit who always was running off in search of elves and the woods, who'd stay out late, come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies. A young Hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is not in your books and maps; it's out there."

"I can't just go running off into the blue. I am a Baggins, of Bag End."

"You are also a Took. Did you know that your great great great great uncle, Bullroarer Took, was so large he could ride a real horse?"

"Yes."

"Well he could. In the Battle of Green Fields, he charged the goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won, and the game of golf invented at the same time."

"I do believe you made that up." I let out a small laugh as I squatted next to Bilba, ready if she fainted again. "Well, all good stories deserve embellishment. You'll have a tale or two to tell of your own when you come back."

"Can you promise that I will come back?" Bilba looked straight at me.

"No. And if you do, you will not be the same." I replied in return.

"That's what I thought. Sorry, Gandalf, I can't sign this. You've got the wrong Hobbit." She ran her shaking hand through her curls and let her bangs fall over her face.

Bilba walked away down the hall. Gandalf sighed and so did I. I stood up and walked out of Bag End into the cool night, without my coat. I sat on the bench and removed the necklace around my neck. It was simple, made of pure silver. The pendant was one tongue of a flame, with a bright turquoise jewel in the middle, my mother had given it to me right before she died. It was all I had left of her, for she had had it since she was little, it was a family heirloom. I smiled as I rubbed my finger over it.

"You're rather quiet aren't you?" I heard a voice ask from behind me and I turned around. Kili stood there smiling at me with his arms folded.

"I would say the same about you." I smiled in return. Kili walked over next to me and sat down.

"You had good aim back there, with Bofur. I was shocked when you didn't hit him."

"If I wanted to have hit him, I would have." Kili grinned at me. His dark brown eyes sparkled in the faint moonlight, he was good looking for a dwarf. His company made me feel more comfortable, other than the butterflies that were in my stomach, placed there every time he smiled at me.

"Kili I was looking everywhere for you, come on." Fili said through the open door, we both turned around. Kili stood up.

"Are you coming?" Kili asked me as I put my necklace on again. He held his hand out to me to help me up and I took it and let go when I stood up. He smiled again before turning around. I took one more look at the rolling hills illuminated by the moon and starlight. Then I walked inside.

The dwarves gathered in Bilba's living room, smoking their pipes by the fire. They all began humming, and soon Thorin began to sing, and the others joined him. Gandalf and I listened from nearby; I leaned into him and he wrapped one of his strong arms around my shoulder.

"Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To find our long forgotten gold

The pines were roaring on the height

The winds were moaning in the night

The fire was red, it flaming spread

The trees like torches blazed with light"

* * *

 **Translations:**

 **Shazara- Silence**

 **Du Bekâr- To arms**

 **So I hope you liked it. I have a feeling this is going to be better than my other one. Love you guys!**

 **XOXO**


	2. Chapter 2: Bets, Nightmares, Confessions

**So that was a beginning special chapter for you in the point of view of Ember. From now on it'll be from a general point of view, you'll know what the characters are thinking, and when they think it. I may have some specific snippets of a chapter in the point of view of a specific person, but it might be rare. Alright, anyhoo, let's begin on this wonderful journey.**

Ember rode at the back of the company with Fili and Kili. For brothers they got a long very well, speaking from her own personal experience, siblings tended to argue, irritate each other, or just not get along. But Kili and Fili were different, and Ember enjoyed that.

Ever since last night's events with Ember throwing a knife at Bofur, things were different. Most of the dwarves, especially Bofur and Dwalin, would not speak to her, and she felt like she did deserve it. But Kili, Fili, and Balin tended to talk to her, and it made her smile on the inside.

"I bet ten silver coins she doesn't show." Nori called. Ember felt a sly smirk tug at her lips.

"Ten silver coins? I think I'll take that bet." She said. The words flew out of her mouth, and she knew she couldn't take them back. Nori looked at her oddly before smirking as well, he nodded and smiled at Ember.

"Do you have the money to pay when you lose lass?" He retorted cockily. Ember pulled a small leather sack out of her own bag and shook it.

"Of course I do." She said smugly as more dwarves started making bets. Most bet Bilba wouldn't show, only Oin, Kili, Balin, Gandalf, and Ember bet Bilba would show up. Doubt started to fester in the deepest part of her stomach.

"Wait! Wait!" The familiar voice called from behind them. She stopped her horse quickly.

"Woah!" Ember called as she saw the Hobbit running. Her gold curls flew behind her, her blue eyes wild with the finding of her new found adventure. The dwarves stopped their ponies.

Bilba caught up to them.

"I signed it!" She said proudly as she handed Balin the contract.

Balin took the contract and inspected it with a pocket glass. He then smiled at Bilba.

"Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Mistress Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." The dwarves cheered, but Ember noticed Thorin slowly nodded and looked Bilba up and down, almost as if he were checking her out.

"Give her a pony." Thorin commanded.

"No, no, no, no, that that won't be necessary, thank you, but I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I've done my fair share of walking holidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once- WAGH!" Bilba's speech was cut off as Kili and Fili grabbed her by the back of her red velvet coat and put her on a pony. Ember laughed out loud, which didn't make Bilba happy.

Bilba was riding a pony and looking quite terrified. The pony neighed and tossed its head, making her quite uncomfortable. Ember rode close beside her, Bilba was on her left, Kili was on Ember's right, and Fili was to his right.

"Come on, Nori, pay up. Go on." She called. Nori tossed a sack of money to Ember; sacks of money began passing between the dwarves.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Oin called as he received his money. Ember smiled as she made sure all ten coins were there. Fili gave his brother a sack of money and gave a pouty face that made her delicately smile. Gandalf moved to the back and Bilba rode next to him. Ember's keen hearing picked up on their conversation.

"What's that about?" Bilba asked.

"Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you'd turn up. Most of them bet that you wouldn't."

"What did you think?" Bilba asked, sadness in her calm voice.

"Hmmm." Gandalf said before he caught a leather sack. Ember smiled widely.

"My dear lady, I never doubted you for a second."

Bilba sneezed loudly. Ember turned around to look at her.

"Ohh. All this horse hair, I'm having a reaction." She admitted to Gandalf. Bilba searched her pockets for her handkerchief. She was unable to find it, and she looked up in shock.

"No, no, wait, wait, stop! Stop! We have to turn around." The entire company came to a halt, and the dwarves started objecting and asking what the problem was. Ember groaned loudly and allowed her head to hit her horse's neck.

"What on earth is the matter?"

"I forgot my handkerchief." Ember let out a sigh that turned into a laugh.

Bofur tore a strip of cloth from his clothing and tossed it to Bilba.

"Here! Use this."

Bilba caught the rag and looked at it in disgust. The dwarves laughed, but Ember just looked at her with pity before they began to continue their journey.

"Move on."

"You'll have to manage without pocket handkerchiefs and a good many other things, Bilba Baggins, before we reach our journey's end. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you; the world is ahead." Gandalf said to her before looking off into the distance.

The company stayed their first night several miles away from the Shire. Bofur made dinner around the fire.

"Alright, everyone get some sleep. We set out before dawn. Kili you take the first watch." Kili nodded toward Thorin before poking the fire again.

Ember curled up into a little ball under her cloak before falling asleep.

* * *

 _The first sound to be heard were the screams, not of men but of orc._

 _"Emilia take your siblings and hide. Whatever you do do not come out." The young Ember nodded to her mother before grabbing her young sister by the hand and placing her brother on her hip. They rushed under their parents bed, hoping they would be safe._

 _Emily was trembling out of fear next to Ember. Ember grabbed her little sister and pulled her close. Her little brother, in all the commotion had fallen asleep. They all heard the scream of their mother, blood curdling and loud. Emily rushed out from under the bed before Ember could grab her. Emery began to wake up and cry. The ten year old held her two year old little brother close to her trying to stop him from crying. But it didn't prevail, for an orc grabbed her by her hair, she screamed loudly as she thrashed around. She felt heat rising up in her body, and the orc yelled in pain before its claws dug into Ember's side. She let out a cry, loud and sharp. The orc dropped her and she slowly, in pain, crawled back under the bed. Her brother hugged her as he cried. Then the sound of orcs dying filled the air, and the sound flew to Ember and Emery's ears._

 _A cloaked figure in all grey appeared in their house. Ember and Emery held each other tight before Ember contracted in pain. The figure bent down._

 _"It's OK they're all dead. You can come out. I'm a friend of your mother's." His voice was kind and old._

 _"It's OK Emery, come on." Ember cautiously crawled out, her side bleeding heavily. Emery followed. She looked into the eyes of the man, he was old with a long grey beard, and a tall pointy hat. Ember cried as the pain continued to get worse._

 _The man binded Ember's wounds on the bed before showing them out. They cautiously walked out avoiding the bodies of orcs and humans. Ember let out cry as she saw her mother's body with her sister's body lying on top of it, both had been stabbed. Ember looked around, while hiding her brother from the gore that lay before her. She saw her father's body mangled and dead. The man took her small hand in his large one and put her and her brother on his horse. Ember cried and held her brother close._

* * *

She woke up quickly, a cold sweat ran down her neck. She breathed heavily.

"Are you alright?" She looked at Kili who was still awake next to the fire. Ember ran her hands through her hair before nodding.

"You were thrashing around and crying, nightmare?" She looked into his calm dark eyes before nodding.

"If you don't mind me asking, what about?" She breathed deeply before answering his question.

"My family dying." She practically whispered before she stood up and moved toward Kili. He smiled at her when she sat down.

"How? Again if you don't mind me asking." He asked and looked into her dark eyes. He wanted to know her, but he knew she was so guarded. She had a past, a story filled with hurt and pain. But still he wanted to hear it, he wanted to get to know what hid behind her dark brown eyes.

"An orc pack came, slaughtered everyone. They didn't want anything, just to kill for sport. Only two made it out alive after Gandalf came and saved us."

"I know you survived, who else?" Kili asked before he poked the dying flames again.

"My little brother Emery." She admitted quietly.

"Where is he now?" Kili asked and looked toward his brother.

"I'm not sure, I haven't seen him in over five years." She admitted before looking at Kili then at his sleeping brother.

"He cares about you, a lot. I wouldn't let that go." She said before she stood up and walked back to her things. He smiled and watched her. She curled up and pulled her coat over her again before she fell asleep. Kili looked at Fili and sighed.

* * *

Kili woke up the next morning, he fell asleep after Fili took the next watch. He looked over at Ember's things where he saw her flipping a knife in her fingers. She was looking at the ground, almost as if she were lost in thought. It was still fairly dark out, the stars were still out. He smiled at himself as the starlight illuminated her. Kili gathered his things and sat next to his brother.

"You didn't think I would notice you checking her out nadadith." Fili said to him.

"What? No I'm not checking her out." Kili felt the heat rise in his cheeks. Fili watched as his brother's face turned bright red.

"Yes, you were." Kili slugged his brother's arm when Ember sat down next to Kili.

"So what's the topic of conversation today?"

"To be honest, you." Fili said and Kili slugged him harder in the arm, Fili rubbed his now sore arm.

"Really, hm seems I'm a topic of conversation these days." She smiled and rubbed her collarbone, which was beginning to hurt upon the way she slept, but to her irony it was right where her scars began. She smiled at Kili then gave a playful wink to Fili, then she started to laugh. Fili snorted in laughter, Kili just watched her smile, he felt happier when she smiled over the way he saw her the night before, scared and sad. He smiled at her before laughing.

They set off just after dawn. Kili and Fili rode at the back, Ember rode in front of them with Bilba at her side. Ember noticed Thorin would occasionally look back at Bilba, he had a look in his eyes, one of curiosity. When Bilba would look at him, he would immediately turn around. Bilba would blush and look away, all before smiling shyly.

The breeze was cool as it fluttered through Ember's hair. Kili watched as she pulled her hair toward her back, it fell and stopped midway down her back. He watched as she twisted it and made it into a bun on the top of her head. She clasped it and he watched as she slowly moved part of her hair over her ears. She turned toward him and smiled. Her dark eyes sparkled in the light. When Ember smiled at Kili she felt butterflies scattered in her stomach and she turned around. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks, and she smiled to herself one more time.

"You're blushing." Bilba said as Ember snapped back into reality.

"What, no I'm not."

"Um, yeah you are. I'm a girl, I can tell when another girl blushes." Ember looked Bilba dead in the eyes, before giving a shy smile.

"Just keep it to yourself. I have a reputation."

"Whatever you say goes princess." Ember laughed and so did Bilba. She had never felt so happy to be with another girl then she did with Bilba. She could tell this was going to be a great friendship, or that's what she wanted. She gave a quick glance in her peripheral vision back at Kili, he was smiling with his brother. She felt herself calm down a bit.

* * *

The company had camped for the night near the edge of a cliff. As Gloin slept, tiny flying insects get sucked into his mouth every time he inhales, and they are expelled when he exhales. Bilba watched in disgust, then finally got up and walked around. Most of the dwarves are asleep; Gandalf, Fili, Ember, and Kili were awake. Bilba walked over to her pony and gave her an apple, after checking to see that no one was looking.

"Hello, girl. That's a good girl. It's our little secret, Myrtle; you must tell no one. sh, sh" Bilba heard a scream in the night air and became filled worried.

She ran over to Fili, Ember,and Kili.

"What was that?"

"Orcs."

Another scream was heard. Thorin, who was dozing, jerked awake upon hearing the word "Orcs."

"Orcs?"

"Throat cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them." Fili said, Ember just listened to the breeze and what Fili had said.

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood." Kili said, Ember knew that to be true.

Bilba looked away in fright; Fili and Kili look at each other and began laughing. Ember scoffed and crossed her legs, if she hadn't seen orc ruin, she would have laughed too.

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" Thorin asked quickly, it scared Ember and Bilba, and it caused them both to jump.

"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili said shyly.

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin scoffed.

Thorin walked off to the edge of the cliff and looked out over the valley; Balin walked up to Fili and Kili.

"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first. Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs led by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King. Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw him: a young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent…wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken." "Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived. And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King."

Thorin turned away from the view beyond the cliff; the entire Company was awake now and standing in awe, staring at him. Thorin walked between them toward the fire.

"But the pale orc? What happened to him?" Bilba asked Balin.

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago." Thorin looked into Bilba's eyes, and she turned away and blushed. The company fell silent.

"So Ember what did you do before the quest?" Kili asked her, his voice full of curiosity. She smiled and sighed.

"Well for the past four years, I was part of an elite group known as the Ithil. We used to number in the close thousand, now we only number four including myself. But about a year ago, I ran away.I couldn't take it anymore. So I left."

"What did they do?" Fili asked.

"The Ithil was an elite group of highly trained assassins, almost like soldiers." Most of the dwarves tensed up at the word assassins.

"So are you here to kill any of us?" Bofur asked Ember, they were the first words he had said to her since the knife incident.

"Darling, if I were here to kill any of you. I would have done it by now. I'm here to help, not harm." She smiled at the dwarves, some smiled in return. Others just looked at her confused, or upset. Kili had the biggest smile on his face, and Gandalf smirked at her. Fili looked impressed and Bilba looked a mix of shock and awe. Thorin looked amused and Dwalin looked surprised. Bofur looked almost relieved that he wasn't embarrassed by some girl in Bag End, it gave him a sense of relief that he was embarrassed by an assassin. Kili felt a little pride in his soul for Ember.

"So we have 13 dwarves, a hobbit, a wizard, and an assassin. We might actually have a chance in this fight." Bilba said with a smile on her face, Ember sent a shy smile to her, then one to Kili. Kili beamed at her and Ember laughed.

The company set out just after dawn. Rain began to fall. Whenever a raindrop would fall upon Ember's face, it caused her to smile. But, some of the dwarves felt differently.

"Here, Mr. Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?"

"It is raining, Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard."

"Are there any?" Bilba asked.

"What?" Gandalf responded.

"Other wizards?"

"There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman, the White. Then there are the two Blue Wizards; you know, I've quite forgotten their names."

"Their names are Allatar and Pallando. I'm shocked you didn't remember that. They can control the weather." Ember responded to Bilba's question.

"Thank you." Gandalf said to her. She sent back a polite smile.

"And who is the fifth?"

"Well, that would be Radagast, the Brown."

"Is he a great Wizard or is he...more like you?" Gandalf looked slightly offended Ember let out a loud happy laugh.

"I think he's a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for always Evil will look to find a foothold in this world."

* * *

 **Translations:**

 **Nadadith- Little brother**

 **Ithil- Rune**

 **So this was chapter 2 for you guys, it was mainly a filler chapter but I liked it. Love you guys!**


	3. Chapter 3: Trolls and quick plans

The Company arrived at an old, abandoned farmhouse that was in ruins.

"We'll camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them."

Ember stood next to her horse. Her hair was flying in the strong breeze that flew by. She sent a kind smile to Kili, who smiled back. She then looked out over the horizon. She turned her head quickly to see Gandalf stomp off angrily, leaving the Company.

"Everything alright? Gandalf, where are you going?" Bilba asked.

"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense."

"Who's that?"

"Myself, Miss Baggins! I've had enough of the stubbornness of dwarves for one day." Ember felt a sort of agreement in her flourish. She was beginning to get annoyed of the constant complaining dealt by the dwarves.

"Come on, Bombur, we're hungry." Thorin commanded.

"Is he coming back?" Bilba asked Ember, who shot her a look of unsurety, Ember then looked at Balin for a little support. Balin looked unsure as well. Ember rolled her eyes before walking toward the woods quickly. Kili tried to grab her arm, but she shook off his strong grasp. Once she was alone she found the closest river and sat down next to dipped her hand into the cool water, she let out a large sigh and a wave of calm washed over her. She then cupped some water in her hands and let it splash over her face. She undressed and slowly eased her way into the water. She let the cool water flow over her naked body. She smiled. Once she was calm and clean she stood up, dressed, put her wet hair in a bun, and began to walk back to the dwarves, but ran into Bilba on the way. The stars were out and they illuminated Bilba's gold curls.

"What are you doing out here?" Ember

"Bofur told me to bring soup to you and Kili and Fili. Want to come?" Ember looked at Bilba's hands and saw three bowls of soup in them. She nodded.

"I'm alright, have you eaten yet?" Ember said and Bilba shook her head.

"Then eat my portion, I'm not going to eat." Ember grabbed Kili and Fili's bowls and Bilba started to eat.

"You never eat anything." Bilba said, and Ember knew she was right, she never ate, she never got good sleep, and she never shared anything about herself to anyone, other than Kili. She felt guilty for being rude to him earlier. She really felt like she had to apologize to him.

Bilba and Ember went out in the dark to where Fili and Kili were watching the ponies. They were staring out into the dark and don't take the soup from Bilba when she handed it to them. Kili was confused, he had only been gone for a minute, he had trusted his brother to watch the ponies. But, he began to feel a large sense of guilt cross over him.

"What's the matter?"

"We're supposed to be looking out for the ponies." Kili said out loud, unaware Ember was there.

"Only we've encountered a slight problem."

"We had sixteen."

"Now there's fourteen."

"How do you lose two ponies?" Ember asked breaking her silence. Kili looked at her with a sense of joy in his eyes. Then he remembered her in the river. He didn't mean to see her. She was just there. And he couldn't bear himself to look away, for the moonlight illuminated her beauty tenfold.

"Hi," Ember breathed with a smile on her face.

"Hi," Kili said before snapping back into reality. Ember moved next to him.

They all examine the group of ponies.

"Daisy and Bungo are missing."

"Well, that's not good. That is not good at all. Shouldn't we tell Thorin?" Bilba asked, and sort of blushed at the mention of Thorin's name.

"Uhh, no. Let's not worry him. As our official burglar, we thought you might like to look into it." Bilba and Ember both looked around and saw some trees recently uprooted and lying on the ground. Ember touched one of the root tips with the tip of her fingers. The roots were torn, violently.

"Well, uh...look, something big uprooted these trees." Bilba inquired, she was so nervous about whatever could be out there.

"That was our thinking." Kili replied.

"Something very big, and possibly quite dangerous." They all looked around trying to gather anything as to what took the ponies.

"Hey! There's a light. Over here! Stay down." Fili exclaimed and waved his brother over.

As the four of them quietly ran through the forest toward the light Fili had seen. They hid behind a log when they realize that the light was a fire. Harsh laughter sounded from near the fire.

"What is it?" Bilba asked terrified.

"Trolls." Kili said, anger in his voice.

Fili, Kili, and Ember ran toward the fire; Bilba started to follow them, then she returned to grab the two bowls of soup she left on the log. She then continued following them. Bilba hid behind a tree opposite to Ember and saw a massive mountain troll walking toward the fire, carrying a pony under each arm.

"He's got Myrtle and Minty! I think they're going to eat them, we have to do something." Bilba whispered with sincerity in her voice.

"Yes; you should. Mountain trolls are slow and stupid, and you're so small."

"N .n. no ," she began to mutter the small word over and over to herself.

"They'll never see you." Kili tried to reassure her.

"No, no, no..." Bilba tried to tell herself.

"It's perfectly safe! We'll be right behind you."

"If you run into trouble, hoot twice like a barn owl, once like a brown owl." Fili and Kili pushed Bilba toward the fire. She began whispering Fili's instructions to himself, trying to remember them, but got mixed up.

"Twice like a barn owl, twice like a brown once like a brown? Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"We're not following her are we?" Ember asked Fili and Kili.

"Not until we're done with supper." Kili replied. Ember rolled her stood up.

"Where are you going?" Fili asked her harshly.

"I'm not going to watch my friend die." She said before running after Bilba.

Bilba turned around, but Fili and Kili are already out of sight. Ember was standing next to her.

"Why aren't you with them?" Bilba asked her.

"I didn't want to see you fail, so I thought I help." Bilba rolled her eyes at Ember, and Ember sent back a large smile. They moved quickly and quietly toward the fire.

Three large, smelly, and loud trolls sat around a fire on which a cauldron of something is cooking.

"Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don't look like mutton again tomorrow." Ember and Bilba heard one of the trolls complain.

"Quit yer' griping. These ain't sheep. These is West Nags!"

"Oh, I don't like `orse. I never `ave. Not enough fat on them." The scrawny troll complained.

"Well, it's better than the leathery old farmer. All skin and bone, he was. I'm still picking bits of him out of me teeth." The biggest troll said. Ember stared at Bilba who looked mortified.

The scrawny troll sneezed into the pot they had boiling over a fire. Ember and Bilba both gagged.

"Oh, that's lovely, that is; a floater."

"Oh, might improve the flavor!"

"Ah! There's more where that came from." He began to sneeze more, but Bert grabbed him by the nose.

"C'mon while they're distracted." Ember said and slunk toward the ponies with Bilba at her heels.

"Oh no you don't."

One troll threw the small one down.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Sit down." The troll sneezed again, this time into a handkerchief he pulled out from behind him. He sniffed for a long time. Bilba and Ember, reached the pen in which the ponies are held, and attempted to untie the ropes. They hid as the trolls turned towards them.

"I hope you're gonna gut these nags. I don't like the stinky parts." One troll hit the other with his ladle, and he squealed in pain.

"I said sit down William!"

"I'm starving! Are we `aving horse tonight or what?"

"Shut your cakehole. You'll eat what I give ya'." As the troll pulled out his handkerchief, Bilba saw that he's wearing a long knife in his belt. Bilba, unable to untie the ropes restraining the ponies, attempts to get the knife from the troll.

"What are you doing?" Ember harshly whispered. Bilba didn't answer.

"How come 'e's the cook? Everything tastes the same. Everything tastes like chicken."

"Except the chicken."

"That tastes like fish!"

"I'm just saying, a little appreciation would be nice. 'Thank you very much, Bert,' 'Lovely stew, Bert'; how hard is that? Hmm, it just needs a sprinkle of squirrel dung." The small troll, William, picked up a mug of drink, but Tom got mad at him.

"There, that's my grog!"

"Uhh, uhh, sorry."

Bert hit William with his ladle again, knocking him down. He got back up. Bert tasted the soup in his ladle.

"Ooh, that is beautifully balanced, that is." Bert let Tom taste some of the soup in the ladle; Tom gulpped it down.

"Wrap your mind around that, mate. Eh? Good, innit? Heh, heh, heh. That's why I'm the cook." Bilba got behind William and tried to reach for the knife, but William stood up and scratched his rear. Bilba was disgusted and gagged. Ember waved Bilba back over to her, but Bilba didn't notice.

"Me guts are grumbling, I've got to snaffle something. Flesh I need, flesh!" William, about to sneeze, reached behind him for his handkerchief, but accidentally grabbed Bilba instead, and sneezes all over her. He then realizes that he's not holding any ordinary booger. Bilba and Ember gagged.

"Argh! Blimey! Bert! Bert! Look what's come out of me 'ooter! It's got arms and legs and everything." The other trolls gathered around to look.

"What is it?"

"I don't know, but I don't like the way it wriggles around!" William shook Bilba, covered in snot, off the napkin and onto the ground. She fell onto her knees.

"What are you then? An oversized squirrel?"

"I'm a burglar uhh, Hobbit." Nice catch, Bilba thought to herself as she stared at the trolls that towered over her.

"A Burgla Hobbit?"

"Can we cook `er?

"We can try!" William tried to grab Bilba, but she dodged, only to be cornered by Bert. William saw Ember near the pen.

"Aye, there's another. Tom look!" William went to grab Ember but she dodged him.

"They wouldn't make more than a mouthful, not when she's skinned and boned!"

"Perhaps there's more Burglar Hobbits around these parts. Might be enough for a pie."

"Grab 'em!"

"It's too quick!" As the trolls tried to catch Bilba and Ember, they ran around trying to dodge them. Bert accidentally hit William with his ladle while trying to hit Bilba. Bilba was eventually caught by the legs by Tom and Ember by Bert, and held upside down in the air.

"Come here, you little... Gotcha!" Bert said as he grabbed Ember. He held her upside down, her hair sprawling out over the ground. She violently shook trying to release herself from his grasp.

"Let me go you son of a bitch." She cried.

"Ooh, Bert you got a feisty one that is. Stop her squirming, it degrades the flavor." Tom said to Bert, but it caused Ember to squirm even more.

"Are there any more of you little fellas `iding where you shouldn't?"

"Nope." Bilba and Ember lied quickly.

"They're lying."

"No I'm not!" Ember retorted.

"Hold her toes over the fire. Make 'em squeal." Kili suddenly ran out of the bushes and cut William in the leg, making him howl and fall down. Fili was right behind him.

"Drop her!" He said and pointed his sword at Ember. She sighed out of relief and smiled slightly at him. But her face twisted in pain as Bert tightened his grip on her legs.

"You what?"

"I said, drop her." Bert threw Ember at Kili; she landed on Kili, knocking them both down.

"Hi again." Kili said to her before he helped her up. He gave her some of her knives from her horse. Tom threw Bilba and she landed on Fili.

"Thanks." She said as she twirled two identical ones in her hands.

The rest of the Company charged out of the bushes yelling and brandishing their weapons. They began fighting the trolls, hacking, slashing, and hammering their legs. As the dwarves fought, Bilba grabs William's knife and cuts the ropes, freeing the ponies. Tom, seeing this, grabbed Bilba. The dwarves stopped fighting when they saw the trolls holding Bilba by the arms and legs.

"Bilba!" Ember cried.

"No!" Thorin cried.

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip 'ers off." Thorin looks at Bilba in frustration and she sent back a look of apology, then he planted his sword in the ground. The others dropped their swords and weapons as well.

The trolls had tied several dwarves, Dwalin, Bofur, Bifur, Dori, Ori and Nori onto a spit and were roasting them over a fire; the rest Thorin, Kili, Fili, Gloin, Bombur, Balin, Oin, Ember and Bilba, were tied up in sacks nearby.

"Don't bother cooking them. Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly." Ember considered that option, it would have been quicker than being roasted.

"They should be sautéed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage."

"Is this really necessary?"

"Ooh, that does sound quite nice."

"Untie us, you monsters!"

"Take on someone your own size!"

"There's no point in reasoning." Ember sighed. Her sack was near Kili's and it made her feel a bit more comfortable about dying.

The dwarves on the spit and in the bags were all making noises and talking in fear.

"Never mind the seasoning; we ain't got all night! Dawn ain't far away, so let's get a move on. I don't fancy being turned to stone." Bilba, hearing what Tom said, had an idea.

"Wait! You are making a terrible mistake." "You can't reason with them, they're half wits!"

"Half wits? What does that make us?"

"Fourth wits!" Ember retorted quickly, Kili scoffed in laughter beside her.

Bilba managed to stand herself up, although still tied up in a sack. She faced the trolls boldly, yet she was scared out of her wits.

"Uh, I meant with the, uh, with, uh, with the seasoning."

"What about the seasoning?"

"Well have you smelt them? You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up." Ember thought to herself, Bilba had a point, most of the dwarves were foul smelling. The dwarves yell at Bilba, calling her a traitor. The ones in sacks kick her.

"What do you know about cooking dwarf?"

"Shut up, and let the, uh, flurgaburburrahobbit talk. She has a point."

"We're not that bad smelling." Fili and Kili retorted in unison.

"Uh, the secret to cooking dwarf is, um "

"Yes? Come on."

"It's, uh " Bilba hesitated.

"Tell us the secret."

"Yes, I'm telling you, the secret is … to skin them first!" Ember let out a quiet laugh only Kili heard.

"Tom, get me the filleting knife."

"If I get you, you little ," Gloin said and let out several dwarvish swear words.

"I won't forget that!"

"What a load of rubbish! I've eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff them, I say, boots and all." Bilba saw Gandalf slipping behind some trees nearby.

"`e's right! Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf! Nice and crunchy." William grabbed Bombur, who was in a sack, and dangled him upside down over his mouth, about to eat him.

"Not that one, he infected!" Bilba exclaimed.

"You what?"

"Yeah, He's got worms in his … tubes." Bilba retorted quickly.

William dropped Bombur back into the pile of Dwarves in disgust. He landed primarily on Kili and Ember who let out loud groans of pain.

"In fact they all have, they're infested with parasites. It's a terrible business; I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't."

"Parasites, did she say parasites?" Oin asked for he was unable to here, due to the fact his hearing trumpet was with his other things.

"We don't have parasites! You have parasites!" Kili exclaimed.

"What are you talking about, lassie?" Gloin asked angrily. The rest of the dwarves chimed in about how they don't have parasites and how Bilba was a fool. Bilba rolled her eyes as the dwarves messed up her plan. Thorin, understanding Bilba's plan, kicked the others. Ember elbowed Kili, hard in the ribs. They then understood and went along with it. All the dwarves began proclaiming about how they're "riddled" with parasites.

"I've got parasites as big as my arm." Oin exclaimed.

"Mine are the biggest parasites, I've got huge parasites!" Kili said, Ember found it cute at his play.

"Don't over do it please." She whispered.

"We're riddled." Nori called.

"Yes, I'm riddled." Ori yelled.

"Yes we are. Badly!"

"What would you have us do, then, let 'em all go?" Ember nodded to herself and shifted under Bombur's weight.

"Well..."

"You think I don't know what you're up to? This little ferret is taking us for fools!"

"Ferret?" Bilba asked offended.

"Fools?" Bert accused.

Gandalf appeared on top of a large rock above the clearing.

"The dawn will take you all!"

"Who's that?"

"No idea."

"Can we eat `im too?" Gandalf struck the rock with his staff, splitting it in half, allowing the sunlight behind it to pour into the clearing. When the sunlight touched the trolls' skin, they began turning into stone amidst loud screams and howls of pain. Within seconds, there were three stone statues of trolls in the clearing. All the dwarves cheered for Gandalf. Of course, the dwarves on the spit, including Dwalin, still looked uncomfortable.

"Oh, get your foot out of my back!" Dwalin exclaimed as Ember wiggled out from under Bombur and used the knife in her sleeve to cut herself out. She then freed the other dwarves in sacks.

"You had a knife with you the entire time?" Thorin accused.

"Yes, but if I had used it. I would have died, the trolls would have been pissed, and you would have died as well." She said putting up very valid points as she cut Kili out. Thorin became rather quiet at her remark.

It was morning now; the dwarves had been freed from the spit and from the sacks by either Ember or Gandalf. Gandalf walked to one of the troll statues and thumped it with his staff, with a pleased smile on his face.


	4. Chapter 4: Running, Radagast, Rivendell

"Where did you go to, if I may ask?" Thorin asked Gandalf.

"To look ahead." Gandalf replied.

"What brought you back?"

"Looking behind. Nasty business. Still, they are all in one piece."

"No thanks to your burglar."

"She had the nous to play for time. None of the rest of you thought of that." Thorin looked repentant. Gandalf and Thorin examined the statues of the trolls.

"They must have come down from the Ettenmoors."

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?"

"Oh, not for an age, not since a darker power ruled these lands." Gandalf and Thorin looked meaningfully at each other. Then Thorin looked at Bilba who was talking to Ember, Kili, and Fili. "They could not have moved in daylight."

"There must be a cave nearby." Thorin replied.

The company found a large cave nearby, and they entered it. It was full of treasure the trolls had been hoarding.

"Oh, what's that stench?!" Nori called.

"It's a troll hoard. Be careful what you touch." Ember ventured toward a bow in the cave. It was of a pure metal, light in weight, and long in length. She then found a quiver full of ancient Elvish arrows. She slipped the quiver on and carried the bow with her.

"Seems a shame just to leave it lyin' around. Anyone could take it." Bofur said and Ember turned around.

"Agreed. Nori, get a shovel." Gloin said.

While exploring, Thorin found two swords covered in cobwebs. Gandalf approached him from behind.

"These swords were not made by any troll." Thorin said.

Thorin handed one sword to Gandalf and kept the other one.

"Nor were they made by any smith among men." Gandalf replied. Gandalf drew the sword in his hand out of its sheath a few inches.

"These were forged in Gondolin by the High Elves of the First Age." Realizing that they are Elven swords, Thorin started to put his away in disgust.

"You could not wish for a finer blade." Reluctantly, Thorin held on to the sword. He drew it out of its sheath a few inches as well.

Some of the dwarves filled a chest with treasure, then buried it in a hole in the ground. Dwalin looked on in disgust.

"We're makin' a long term deposit." Gloin said as he tried to reason his doings. Gandalf looked at Ember.

"What have you found." She showed him proudly her findings. He smiled at her.

"They suit you, now let's go."

"Let's get out of this foul place. Come on, let's go. Bofur! Gloin! Nori!" Thorin called.

On her way out, Ember stepped on something metallic. Brushing aside the leaves beneath her with her foot, she found another sword, small in size and light in weight. She exited the cave and headed over to where Bilba was sitting. She handed Bilba the sword she just found.

"Bilba". Ember called

"Hmm?"

"Here. This is about your size." Ember said as she tried to give Bilba the small sword.

"I can't take this." Bilba pleaded.

"The blade is of Elvish make which means it will glow blue when orcs or goblins are nearby." Ember explained to her.

"I have never used a sword in my life."

"And I hope you never have to. But if you do, remember this: true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one." Ember said as she squatted to Bilba's height. Ember hugged her friend tightly. There was fear in her eyes, to Ember it was plain as daylight.

"Something's coming!" Thorin exclaimed.

"Gandalf !" Bilba cried.

"Stay together! Hurry now. Arm yourselves." Gandalf exclaimed. Bilba slowly drew her sword and looked at it. She then followed the others, who had run off into the woods.

Radagast rode at full speed through the forest on his rabbit drawn sled. He pulled up short by the Company.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!"

"Radagast! Radagast the Brown. Ah. What on earth are you doing here?" Ember breathed out a sigh of relief upon the seeing of her old friend.

"I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong. Well hello little flame, my have you grown. It's been what?"

"Ten years Radagast, ten long years."

"My you look just like your mother, so beautiful." Ember smiled lightly.

"Now, what was I saying?"

"Something's wrong." Ember repeated.

Radagast opened his mouth to speak, but shut it once again. He opened his mouth again, but closed it again. He had forgotten what he was going to say.

"Oh, just give me a minute. Um, oh, I had a thought, and now I've lost it. It was, it was right there, on the tip of my tongue." He curled up his tongue, and looked surprised.

"Oh, it's not a thought at all; it's a silly old..." Gandalf pulled a stick insect out of Radagast's mouth.

" stick insect!" The dwarves and Bilba look flustered, and then they looked toward Ember for support. She waved her hand and put up on finger. Radagast and Gandalf went off a few paces and speak privately.

"He's a little odd isn't he?" Kili asked.

"A little, but he's rather interesting once you get to know him."

"Mind telling us what "little flame" means?" Thorin asked.

"One word, attitude." She lied. She had no interest in revealing her dark past to the dwarves she knew nothing about. Kili gave her a look of confusion. He wanted to know what she meant. He knew she was lying because of the look in her eyes. She looked away and walked over toward a tree.

"The Greenwood is sick, Gandalf. A darkness has fallen over it. Nothing grows any more, at least nothing good. The air is foul with decay. But worst are the webs."

"Webs? What do you mean?"

"Spiders, Gandalf. Giant ones. Some kind of spawn of Ungoliant, or I am not a Wizard. I followed their trail. They came from Dol Guldur."

"Dol Guldur? But the old fortress is abandoned."

"No, Gandalf, it is not." Radagast said.

"A dark power dwells there, such as I have never felt before. It is the shadow of an ancient horror." Radagast narrated as he relived the scenes in his mind. As Radagast walked through the seemingly abandoned fortress, a statue behind him slowly clenched its fingers around the hilt of its sword.

"One that can summon the spirits of the dead."

The spirit of a king,attacked Radagast, but he fended it off with his staff. As the spirit disappeared with a screech, it drops its blade.

"I saw him, Gandalf. From out of the darkness, a Necromancer has come." Radagast saw a black shadow take the form of a man, and it whispered a dangerous sounding speech. Radagast fled from the castle, pursued by bats. He called to his rabbits which are waiting with the sled.

"Quick! Quickly! Run! Wait for me!" The rabbits started running, and Radagast had to run hard to catch up with and jump onto his sled. He raced through the forest with the bats behind him, dodging tree trunks and hitting the bats with his staff.

In the present, Radagast "wakes up" from his flashback, and realized that he has gotten very excited.

"I'm sorry." He said shyly.

"Try a bit of Old Toby. It'll help settle your nerves." Gandalf cleaned his pipe with his beard, then offered it to Radagast. Radagast breathed in the smoke.

"And out." Gandalf lightly commanded.

Radagast, with his eyes crossed and a blissful look on his face, blew out the smoke, then stayed in a trance like state for a few seconds.

"Now, a Necromancer. Are you sure?" Gandalf asked.

Radagast pulls out a cloth wrapped package and handed it to Gandalf. Gandalf untied it and opened it; upon seeing its contents, he looked concerned.

"That is not from the world of the living." Radagast replied.

Suddenly, a howl is heard in the distance.

"Was that a wolf? Are there are there wolves out there?" Bilba asked after hearing the howl.

"Wolves? No, that is not a wolf." Bofur explained.

From behind a nearby rock, a Warg appears; it leapt into the midst of the Company, knocking down one of the dwarves. Thorin struck and killed it using his sword. Another Warg attacked from the other side; Ember shot it with an arrow, bringing it down. However, it got back up, only to be killed by Dwalin.

"Warg Scouts! Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."

"Orc pack?" Bilba asked, fear in her voice.

"Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?" Gandalf accused.

"No one." Thorin said.

"Who did you tell?"

"No one, I swear. What in Durin's name is going on?" Thorin almost yelled, hearing him like that sent a shiver down Bilba's spine.

"You are being hunted." Gandalf said.

"We have to get out of here." Ember said.

"We can't! We have no ponies; they bolted." Ori called, which sent a shiver through Ember. Her horse had all of her things except the few knives Kili had given her.

"I'll draw them off." Radagast claimed.

"These are Gundabad Wargs; they will outrun you." Gandalf said, trying to stop his friend.

"These are Rhosgobel Rabbits; I'd like to see them try." Radagast said with a huge smile on his face.

Yazneg, the orc leader of the Warg Riders, and his Wargs were searching through the forest for the Company; suddenly, Radagast and his rabbits shot out of the forest, and the Wargs started chasing him.

"Come and get me! Ha ha!" Gandalf and Ember watched from behind a rock as Radagast and the Wargs disappear in the distance.

"How well can you shoot and run?" He asked her.

"Best I've seen in all of Middle Earth." She said proudly. Archery was her main strong suit.

"Good, I think you might have to do some of that today." She smiled and nodded.

"Come on!" Gandalf called. The Company rushed across a rocky plain. In the distance, Radagast was being chased by the Wargs. One of them crashed while trying to catch him. As the Company ran across the plain, they saw the Wargs not too far from them, so they hid behind the rocks.

"Stay together." Gandalf commanded.

"Move!" Thorin commanded. As the Company ran, Radagast drove his sled beneath an overhanging projection of rock; he ducked, but the Orc on the Warg behind him got knocked off.

As the chase continued, Thorin stopped behind a rock so that he was not seen by the Wargs. Ori started to run out of the cover.

"Ori, no! Come back!" Ember heard herself call.

"Come on! Quick!" As the dwarves continued running, Thorin turned to Gandalf.

"Where are you leading us?" Gandalf didn't answer. As the Warg scouts chased Radagast, one of them stopped and scented the air. The dwarves took cover behind an outcropping of rock. The scout and his Warg appeared on top of the outcropping, scenting the air. Thorin looked at Kili and nodded; readying an arrow, Kili quickly stepped out and shot the Warg. The Warg and the orc on it fell near the dwarves, and the dwarves killed them. The sounds of their fight carried quite far; the other Wargs and Orcs stopped chasing Radagast as they hear roars and screams from behind the rocks.

"Nice shot," Ember said to Kili, who said nothing but smile. There was a feeling in his soul, one of which he had never felt before. It grew when ever she was around him, and would disappear when she walked away. But, she stayed next to him.

"The Dwarf scum are over there! After them!" The lead orc screamed.

The Warg scouts howled as they stopped pursuing Radagast and began pursuing the Company.

"Move. Run!" Gandalf called. The company ran through a grassy plain; Wargs began to surround them from all sides.

"There they are!" Gloin yelled as Ember armed her bow.

"This way! Quickly!" Gandalf called. They ran for a while longer, then halted in a clearing as they saw Wargs on all sides.

"There's more coming!" Kili yelled.

"Kili! Ember! Shoot them!" Thorin yelled. Looking around, Gandalf saw a large rock; he ran toward it and disappeared behind it.

"We're surrounded!" Fili began shooting, at the Warg and the Warg Riders, next to Ember, killing some of them.

"Where is Gandalf?" Kili asked her.

"He has abandoned us!" Dwalin exclaimed.

"No, he hasn't. He'll come, trust him." Ember shouted in return.

"Are you sure about that?" Kili asked her and she shot him a look of unsurety.

The dwarves gathered close to each other near the rock Gandalf disappeared by. As Yazneg and his Warg approached, Ori shoots a rock at Yazneg with his slingshot, to no effect. Thorin pulled out his sword.

"Hold your ground!" Thorin yelled. Gandalf popped up from a crack in the rock.

"This way, you fools!" He yelled.

"Come on, move! Quickly, all of you! Go, go, go!" Ember called as she continued to shoot with Kili. As the Wargs approach, the dwarves and Bilba slid into the large crack in the rock, sliding into a cave. Thorin killed a Warg that got too close. Kili shot another.

"Nine, ten, eleven," Gandalf counted the dwarves as they slid in.

"Kili! Run! Ember, c'mon!" Thorin, Ember, and Kili jump into the crack last. Just as Yazneg and his Wargs reached the crack, an Elvish horn sounds, and a group of mounted Elves rushed into the fray, shooting and spearing the Wargs and Orcs. The Company listened to the conflict from inside the crack. One of the orcs, shot by an arrow, fell into the cave. Thorin plucked out the arrow and examines its make.

"Elves." Thorin said with disgust. There was a pathway at the end of the cave, leading away.

"I cannot see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or no?" Dwalin asked.

"Follow it, of course!" Bofur exclaimed.

"I think that would be wise." Gandalf exclaimed. The Company began following the path. It was quite narrow, and it was a crack between two tall cliffs. At times, the dwarves, such as Bombur had difficulty going through. The pathway eventually opened out into an open area; there was a valley below, and in that valley is the city of Rivendell.

"The Valley of Imladris. In the Common Tongue, it's known by a another name."

"Rivendell." Ember felt a wave of calm come over her. After her village was raided, Gandalf brought her and her brother there. She grew up here for five years before leaving and joining the Ithil.

"Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea." Gandalf explained for the dwarves.

"This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy." Thorin accused.

"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself."

"You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us." Thorin asked.

"Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered. If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me." Ember smiled to herself. Gandalf was always smug unlike what people said.

The Company walked across a bridge and entered Rivendell. A few elves were strolling about. Bilba gazed in awe at the beauty of the place.

"It's beautiful no?" Ember asked Bilba. Who only nodded. She could only nod for the beauty of Rivendell overcame her.

The dwarves looked around, uneasy.

A dark haired elf walks down a flight of stairs and greeted them.

"Mithrandir, Ember."

"Ah, Lindir!" Lindir smiled at Ember who gave a slight curtsey. As Lindir and Gandalf greeted each other, the dwarves murmured amongst themselves in distrust.

Thorin whispered to Dwalin. "Stay sharp."

"Lastannem i athrannedh i Vruinen." [subtitle: We heard you had crossed into the Valley.]

"I must speak with Lord Elrond." Gandalf said.

"My lord Elrond is not here." Lindir replied.

"Not here? Where is he?" Suddenly, the Elvish horns from earlier were heard again. The Company turned around and they saw a group of armed horsemen approaching along the bridge at a rapid rate.

"Ifridî bekâr!" [translated: Ready weapons!'] "Hold ranks!" Thorin yelled.

The dwarves bunched up together into a tight circle with their weapons pointed outward; the mounted Elves arrived and rode in circles around the dwarves. Eventually, they stopped, and one elf, Elrond, separated himself from the others.

"Gandalf. Ember." Gandalf bowed gracefully and Ember gave a slight curtsey again.

"Lord Elrond. Mellonnen! Mo evínedh?" [subtitle: My friend! Where have you been?]

"Farannem 'lamhoth i udul o charad. Dagannem rim na Iant Vedui." [subtitle: We've been hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the South. We slew a number near the Hidden Pass.] Elrond dismounts from his horse, then he and Gandalf hug. Then he wrapped Ember in a large hug.

"Five years, and your beauty never ceases to amaze me." He said and smiled.

"It feels so good to be back." Ember replied. Lord Elrond nodded and turned back to Gandalf.

"Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders. Something, or someone, has drawn them near." He held up an Orc sword and showed it to everyone, then handed it to Lindir.

"Ah, that may have been us." Thorin stepped forward, and Elrond looked upon him with recognition.

"Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain."

"I do not believe we have met."

"You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the Mountain."

"Indeed; he made no mention of you." Ember scoffed silently at the insult.

Ignoring this insult, Elrond turns to the dwarves and spoke in Elvish. The dwarves didn't understand what he was saying.

"Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin." [translation is: Light the fires, bring forth the wine. We must feed our guests.]

"What is he saying? Does he offer us insult?" The dwarves grew bellicose and gripped their weapons uneasily.

"No, Gloin, he's offering you food." Ember explained. [The dwarves quickly discussed this amongst themselves.

"Ah well, in that case, lead on."

"Ember!" A male voice, strong and deep called from behind them. They all turned around. Ember immediately recognized who it was a rush into his open arms. He lifted her of the ground and twirled her in the air. She let out a laugh before hugging him closely. Kili felt a feeling of jealously light up inside of him. Once he let her down she looked into his green eyes. Two tears started to fall. She wiped them away from his face.

Kili felt angry, he didn't know why, he just was.

"You look just like da." She whispered to the man.

"You look just like mother. Where have you been Emilia?" He whispered in return.

"Nowhere important." She lied. She turned toward Kili. Kili was worried about who he was.

"Kili, do you remember how I told you my brother survived with me?" He nodded slowly.

"This is my little brother Emery." Kili felt a weight lifted off his shoulders and did a quick sigh of relief.

"Arwen wants to see you. I'll take him to the others." Emery said to Ember who looked at Kili. Kili shrugged at what he said. Ember smiled at him and Kili smiled back before she ran off in the opposite direction.

"So how do you know my sister?"

"Other than being on the same quest, we talk often." Kili admitted. He wasn't sure how he felt about Emery. He was much taller than him, but he looked a lot like Ember.

"I can tell she thinks highly of you."

"Really?" Kili asked hopefully. He smiled to himself.


	5. Chapter 5: Cirth Ithil and Stone Giants

Arwen practically ran to Ember when she saw her coming. Both hugged each other greatly. Arwen had always been Ember's best friend. But when she ran away Arwen was heart broken.

"I am so glad you're alive." Arwen said as she hugged her.

"It is so good to see you again." Ember said.

"You outfit looks terrible." Arwen flat out said.

"Thanks for holding back." Ember replied sarcastically.

"Come on, you can't go to dinner dressed like that." She grabbed Ember's hand a dragged her to her room.

* * *

Ember looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a tight fitting blue green dress, it had no sleeves just straps. She had never felt so pretty in her life and she loved the feeling. Her hair was down and flowing over her shoulders, her ears were still hidden. Arwen had her take off her gloves off and Ember reluctantly agreed. Her legs were badly bruised from the troll's hold, but she was still able to walk.

The dwarves were sitting around tables in the Elven court, eating. However, they were not very appreciative of the Elves' vegetables.

"Try it. Just a mouthful." Dori tried pleading with his brother.

"I don't like green food." Ori said defiantly and pushed it away. Dwalin looked through a bowl of greens.

Ember stepped around the corner slowly, careful not to step on her dress. The dwarves became completely silent. Fili saw his brother's mouth hang open in awe. Ember shyly sat down next to Kili.

"Why is everyone staring at me?" She asked, embarrassed.

"Because you're beautiful." Kili answered out loud, even though he meant to say it to himself.

"You think so?" She asked calmly. Kili nodded, he had never seen anyone as pretty as her. She smiled at him, her lips were bright red and her dark brown eyes sparkled.

"Where's the meat?" Dwalin asked out loud. Oin held up a vegetable with his knife and looked at in disgust.

"Have they got any chips?" Ori asked.

"You don't have to eat any of it if you don't want to. Trust me some of it is completely vile." Ember said.

"How do you know so much of this place?" Thorin asked.

"I guess I would have to go back a bit to answer that question. When I was ten my entire family other than my brother and I were killed in an orc night raid. Gandalf found us and brought us here for ten years. Then I ran away."

The dwarves looked at her almost in shock. No one said anything, the silence was almost eerie.

An Elf maiden played a harp in the background. Elrond and Gandalf walked through the halls of Rivendell.

"Kind of you to invite us. I'm not really dressed for dinner."

"Well, you never are." They both laughed, and they arrived at the courtyard where the dwarves were eating. An elf maiden played a flute; Oin, not liking the sound, stuffed a napkin in his hearing trumpet, and looked happy that he could no longer hear the music.

Still at the feast, Elrond examined the swords Gandalf and Thorin found in the troll's hoard. He looked at Thorin's first.

"This is Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver. A famous blade, forged by the High Elves of the West, my kin. May it serve you well." He handed Orcrist back to Thorin, who accepted it with a nod. Elrond then examined Gandalf's.

"And this is Glamdring, the Foe Hammer, sword of the King of Gondolin. These swords were made for the goblin wars of the First Age..." Bilba pulled out her sword and looked at it.

"I wouldn't bother, lassie. Swords are named for the great deeds they do in war."

"What are you saying, my sword hasn't seen battle?" Bilba asked offended.

"I'm not actually sure it is a sword; more of a letter opener, really."

"How did you come by these?" Lord Elrond asked.

"We found them in a troll hoard on the Great East Road, shortly before we were ambushed by orcs."

"And what were you doing on the Great East Road?" Lord Elrond asked rather skeptically. No one answered. Thorin looked perturbed.

* * *

It was night. Gandalf, Elrond, Thorin, Balin, Ember, and Bilba were standing in a hall in Rivendell. Arden had given Ember her clothes back, they were clean which made Ember smile. Arden had also given her a new cloak hence she had lost hers.

"Our business is no concern of elves."

"For goodness sake, Thorin, show him the map."

"It is the legacy of my people; it is mine to protect, as are its secrets."

"Save me from the stubbornness of Dwarves. Your pride will be your downfall. You stand here in the presence of one of the few in Middle Earth who can read that map. Show it to Lord Elrond." Thorin thought quietly for a few seconds, with everyone looking at him. He began to hand the map to Lord Elrond, and Balin tried to stop him.

"Thorin, no!" Thorin brushed Balin aside and handed Lord Elrond the map. Elrond looked at it.

"Erebor. What is your interest in this map?" Thorin was about to speak, but Ember interrupted him.

"It's mainly academic. As you know, this sort of artifact sometimes contains hidden text. You still read Ancient Dwarvish, do you not?" Ember looked at Thorin who smirked and nodded. Lord Elrond walked a little bit away, looking at the map. As the moonlight hit the map, Lord Elrond realized something.

"Cirth Ithil."

"Moon runes. Of course. An easy thing to miss." Gandalf said in awe.

"Well in this case, that is true; moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written."

"Can you read them?" Lord Elrond led them all to an open area outside, on the side of a cliff, with waterfalls all around. The moon was behind some clouds. They walked toward a large crystalline table.

"These runes were written on a Midsummer's Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago. It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield; the same moon shines upon us tonight." As they looked up, the clouds covering the moon floated away, and rays of moonlight hit the crystalline table, causing light to flow through the map which had been laid on the table. Ancient runes became visible on the map, and Lord Elrond translated them out loud.

"Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole."

"Durin's Day?"

"It is the start of the dwarves' new year, when the last moon of autumn and the first sun of winter appear in the sky together." Gandalf explained.

"This is ill news. Summer is passing. Durin's Day will soon be upon us."

"We still have time."

"Time? For what?" Bilba asked.

"To find the entrance. We have to be standing at exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, and only then, can the door be opened."

"So this is your purpose, to enter the Mountain."

"What of it?" Thorin asked.

"There are some who would not deem it wise." Thorin took back the map gruffly.

"Who do you mean?"

"You are not the only guardian to stand watch over Middle Earth." As Elrond walked away, Gandalf turned slowly, thinking deeply.

The Dwarves were having a late night party in their quarters. They roasted sausages over a fire made by burning the Elvish furniture when the others returned.

"Way to destroy the mood guys." Ember said with a smile as she sat on the bench Kili was sitting. He smiled at her widely when she sat down.

"It was ugly anyway. We were doing them a favor," Bofur retorted.

"No argument here. It was rather ugly." Ember replied as she pulled her hair back over her shoulders.

Bofur, seeing a heavy Bombur sitting on a bench and eating a large bowl of food, looked at his sausage thoughtfully.

"Bombur!" As Bombur looked up, Bofur threw him the sausage. Bombur caught it; the weight of the sausage was just too much for the bench, and the bench broke; Bombur, shrieking, fell to the floor, along with all his food. The dwarves laugh uproariously. Ember couldn't control her laughter and leaned on the wall. Kili laughed and looked at her. The butterflies in his stomach were aroused tenfold when he saw her laugh. Her skin was illuminated by the fire and her smile and eyes were the most beautiful parts about her when they were put together. When she was done laughing she let out a sigh of content and smiled at him.

Gandalf and Elrond walked up a flight of stairs and into a pavilion.

"With or without our help, these dwarves will march on the mountain. They are determined to reclaim their homeland. I do not believe Thorin Oakenshield feels that he's answerable to anyone. Nor for that matter am I."

"It is not me you must answer to." Gandalf looked and saw a tall, beautiful, female Elf standing framed against the moonlight. She slowly turned around. It was Galadriel.

"Lady Galadriel."

"Mithrandir. It has been a long time."

"Nae nin gwistant infanneth, mal ú eichia i Chíril Lorien." [subtitle: 'Age may have changed me, but not so the Lady of Lorien.] Galadriel smiled.

"How is the child of fire?" She asked him.

"Not so much a child anymore. She has become just like her mother." Gandalf replied and bowed his head.

"I had no idea Lord Elrond had sent for you."

A voice sounded out of the darkness. "He didn't. I did." Gandalf turned and saw Saruman the White; he bowed to him.

"Saruman."

"You've been busy of late, my friend." The White Council, composed of Saruman, Elrond, Galadriel, and Gandalf, were in the pavilion. Gandalf and Saruman sat at a table; Elrond and Galadriel stood or walked about. Dawn was slowly breaking.

"Tell me, Gandalf, did you think these plans and schemes of yours would go unnoticed?"

"Unnoticed? No, I'm simply doing what I feel to be right."

"The dragon has long been on your mind." Lady Galadriel said.

"This is true, my lady. Smaug owes allegiance to no one. But if he should side with the enemy, a dragon could be used to terrible effect."

"What enemy? Gandalf, the enemy is defeated. Sauron is vanquished. He can never regain his full strength."

"Gandalf, for four hundred years, we have lived in peace. A hard won, watchful peace." Lord Elrond said.

"Are we? Are we at peace? Trolls have come down from the mountains. They are raiding villages, destroying farms. Orcs have attacked us on the road."

"Hardly a prelude to war." Elrond responded.

"Always you must meddle, looking for trouble where none exists."

"Let him speak." Galadriel replied forcefully.

"There is something at work beyond the evil of Smaug. Something far more powerful. We can remain blind, but it will not be ignoring us, that I can promise you. A sickness lies over the Greenwood. The woodsmen who live there now call it 'Mirkwood'. and they say..." Gandalf said.

"Well, don't stop now. Tell us about the woodsmen say."

"They speak of a Necromancer living in Dol Guldur, a sorcerer who can summon the dead."

"That's absurd. No such power exists in the world. This...Necromancer is nothing more than a mortal man. A conjurer dabbling in black magic."

"And so I thought too. But, Radagast has seen "

"Radagast? Do not speak to me about Radagast the Brown. He is a foolish fellow."

"Well, he's odd, I grant you. He lives a solitary life."

"It's not that. It's his excessive consumption of mushrooms. They've addled his brain and yellowed his teeth. I warned him, it is unbefitting of the Istari to be wander in the woods..." Saruman's voice faded away as Galadriel focused on Gandalf, and spoke to him in his mind.

"You carry something. It came to you from Radagast. He found it in Dol Guldur."

"Yes."

"Show me."

Gandalf lifted Radagast's package, which he had in his lap, and placed it on the table. It let out a dull thud.

"…or I'd think I was talking to myself…"

"What is that?" Lord Elrond asked.

"A relic of Mordor." Galadriel replied harshly.

Elrond, who was reaching out to unwrap the package, drew his hand back. He then reached for it again and opened it, revealing the sword Radagast took from the spirit in Dol Guldur. The White Council members looked upon it in shock.

"A Morgul blade." Lord Elrond said.

"Made for the Witch king of Angmar, and buried with him. When Angmar fell, men of the North took his body and all that he possessed and sealed it within the High Fells of Rhudaur. Deep within the rock they buried them, in a tomb so dark it would never come to light."

"This is not possible. A powerful spells lies upon those tombs; they cannot be opened."

"What proof do we have this weapon came from Angmar's grave?"

"I have none." Gandalf admitted.

"Because there is none. Let us examine what we know. A single Orc pack has dared to cross the Bruinen. A dagger from a bygone age has been found. And a human sorcerer, who calls himself the Necromancer, has taken up residence in a ruined fortress. It's not so very much, after all. The question of this dwarvish company, however, troubles me deeply. I'm not convinced, Gandalf; I do not feel I can condone such a quest. If they'd come to me, I might have spared them this disappointment. I do not pretend to understand your reasons for raising their hopes…" Saruman's voice faded away again as Galadriel focused on Gandalf. She spoke to him telepathically.

"They are leaving."

"Yes."

"You knew." Gandalf slyly smiled at Galadriel who smiled back.

"…I am afraid there is nothing else for it." Gandalf nodded. Galadriel smiled slightly again. A step was heard, and they all turned around; Lindir come up and bows.

"My Lord Elrond; the dwarves, they've gone."

It was morning; the dwarves were hiking along the path away from Rivendell.

"Be on your guard; we're about to step over the edge of the Wild. Balin, you know these paths; lead on."

"Aye." Bilba turned around and looked back at Rivendell, longingly.

"I know I'll miss it too." Ember said when she put her hand on Bilba's shoulder. Bilba nodded and took another look. Ember tried to put away the guilt in her soul for leaving her brother again without telling him.

"Mistress Baggins, Miss March, I suggest you keep up." Thorin commanded and they both turned around. The dwarves, Ember, and Bilba continued on their journey.

Back in Rivendell, Gandalf and Galadriel were the only ones remaining on the pavilion.

"You will follow them?"

"Yes."

"You are right to help Thorin Oakenshield. But I fear this quest has set in motion forces we do not yet understand. The riddle of the Morgul blade must be answered. Something moves in the shadows, unseen, hidden from our sight. It will not show itself, not yet. But every day it grows in strength. You must be careful. She grows stronger every day, there are forces that wish to claim her power for their own use. She cannot be contained, she needs your protection."

"She is strong, in her power and will. I fear that if something does happen to her I will not be able to stop her."

"Her power feeds off of her emotions, if something could happen to her or someone she cares about, bad things could happen. But, in one situation it can be used for life."

"Yes." Gandalf turned and started walking away. When he had gone a short distance, Galadriel spoke again.

"Mithrandir? Why the Halfling?"

"I don't know. Saruman believes that it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. I've found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk, that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love. Why Bilba Baggins? Perhaps it is because I am afraid, and she gives me courage." Galadriel suddenly appeared in front of Gandalf, and she took his old, weary hands in spoke to him telepathically one more time.

"Do not be afraid, Mithrandir."

"You are not alone." She then spoke aloud.

Galadriel tucked a loose strand of Gandalf's hair back.

"Ae boe i le eliathon, im tulithon." [Translation: If you should ever need my help, I will come.] Gandalf bow, and Galadriel gently moved her hands away from his. Gandalf looked up, and Galadriel had disappeared.

* * *

The Company was crossing the Misty Mountains; the trail was narrow and dangerous, with a cliff on one side and a sheer drop on the other. There was a fierce storm in the air, with lightning and rain all around.

"Hold on!" Thorin yelled.

As Bilba walked, the stone beneath her feet gave away, and she started falling into the chasm; Ember managed to pull her back in time. When Bilba was safe, Ember held her close to her body, she was afraid for her small friend. Bilba was frantically breathing.

"We must find shelter!" Thorin yelled.

"Watch out!" Dwalin screamed. The Dwarves looked up and saw a massive boulder hurtling through the air; it hit the mountainside above them, causing rocks to fall all around them as they pressed themselves against the mountain.

"This is no thunderstorm; it's a thunder battle! Look!"

A stone giant reared up from a nearby mountain; it ripped off a massive boulder from the top of the mountain.

"Well bless me, the legends are true. Giants; Stone Giants!" Bofur yelled. Ember had always read about them, she had always dreamt about them, but never wanted to see them this close.

"Take cover: you'll fall!" Bilba moved so Ember was by herself next to Kili.

"What's happening?" Kili asked her.

"You don't want to know." The first stone Giant threw the boulder far in the air; another stone giant, appeared from behind the Company, and it was hit in the head. The dwarves yelled at each other to brace and hold on, and the rocks beneath their feet began to give way from all the vibrations and from the impact of the falling rocks. The ground between some of the Company members split; part of the group is on one side, and part on the other.

"Kili! Grab my hand! Ki..." Kili began to grab Fili's hand, but Ember held him back.

"Why did you do that?" He asked her angrily.

"I didn't want to see you fall to your death." She admitted softly, Kili's face softened.

"I'm sorry, thank you." He said. She smiled and nodded as rain poured down on her face. But they both snapped back into reality when they began to shake again.

As the two stone giants fought with their fists, the dwarves held on tight as they were flung around. One of the groups managed to jump to a different spot. A third stone giant appeared, and it threw a boulder at the head of one of the first two. That one fell over; Ember saw the cliff coming sraight for her and Kili. There was a large point that would have impaled Kili, and she definitely didn't want to let that happen. She pushed Kili out of the way and when the stone hit stone, she felt a large stinging in her side. As the first group watched, it appeared to them that the other group of the Company had been smashed to bits. The hurt stone giant lost its footing and fell down the chasm.

"No! No! Kili!" Thorin yelled. The group rushed to the spot where the others appeared to have been crushed, but they were safe. Ember saw why her side was stinging, the stone had left a large gash in her right side. She quietly moaned in pain as she pressed her hand to stop the bleeding.

"We're all right! We're alive!" Balin cried.

"Where's Bilba? Where's the Hobbit?" Bofur yelled.

"There!"

"Get her!" Bilba was seen hanging onto the edge of the cliff with just her fingertips. She was so scared, and it took all of her strength to not look down. Rain pelted her face and her fingers were starting to slip. Ori dove onto the ground and tried to grab Bilba's arm, but Bilba slipped and fell another few feet before she caught another handhold. As the dwarves tried to pull her up unsuccessfully, Thorin swung down on the cliff next to Bilba and boost her up, where the others pulled him to safety. Once Bilba was safe she was pulled into Ember's arms. Bilba saw her side bleeding heavily.

"Your side." Bilba pointed out. Ember pressed her hand harder into it.

"Let it go." Ember whispered.

Dwalin tried to lift Thorin back up too, but Thorin lost his grip and began falling too; however, Dwalin, with much effort, was able to pull him back up.

"I thought we'd lost our burglar."

"She's been lost ever since she left home. She should never have come. She has no place amongst us. Dwalin!" They went off and find a cave.

"It looks safe enough." Dwalin said.

"Search to the back; caves in mountains are seldom unoccupied." Bilba held Ember close, hurt at Thorin's harsh words. Dwalin searched the cave with a lantern.

"There's nothing here." Gloin dropped a bundle of wood on the floor and rubbed his hands.

"Right then! Let's get a fire started."

"No, No fires, not in this place. Get some sleep. We start at first light."

Kili looked at Ember and saw the crimson liquid on her side. Her rushed up to her and helped her sit on the floor.

"You're hurt."

"It's just a scratch I'm OK." She lied. But her face said otherwise.

"That is more than a scratch."

"I'm fine. Just leave me alone." She said much more forcefully. Kili was taken aback at the harshness in her words.

"I'm so sorry. I just don't want Thorin to know."

"I hope you know I'm going to help you bind it." She smiled slightly.

She lifted her top slightly so the gash was visible. He helped her bind it but his eyes were drawn to the three large scars on her left side. Then his eyes adjusted to the burn marks, other scars and cuts that littered her body. He lightly ran his fingers down the biggest three.

"How did you get these?" He asked and looked into her eyes. She pulled her top down and stood up, not answering his question.

"Thank you," she said lightly before walking away.

"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan." Balin said harshly.

"Plans change. Bofur, take the first watch."

Ember sat on the side of the cave when Bilba sat next to her.

"I don't belong here." Ember said plainly.

"I agree, Thorin was right I should have never come."

Unknown to them Thorin was still awake listening to them. Bilba's voice was soft and almost like velvet in his ears. He regretted what he had said to her. He needed to apologize to her, the guilt was eating at him.

"Why do you not want to be here?" Bilba asked Ember.

"I just don't fit. I'm dangerous for various reasons. I don't want to hurt anyone here." Ember said with grief in her voice. She then looked longingly at Kili who was asleep.

"I can take you back to Rivendell. I can drop you off, and then I'm gone."

"Where would you go?"

"Back to the Ithil, face the consequences and live my life, no matter how short it is going to be."

Thorin wanted to object. He didn't want Bilba to leave.

"So when everyone is asleep we leave?" Bilba asked. Ember nodded and looked at Kili.

"You don't want to leave him do you?" Bilba asked.

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb please, Kili of course."

"You don't want to leave Thorin either?" Ember threw in her face before she gave a playful smile.

"I don't want to leave Kili, at all. But I think it would be best if I did leave."

"He doesn't care about me. I don't even know why I ever thought I could care about him."

Thorin perked up at her words. She cared about him.

"Go get some sleep, it'll take about a day to get back to Rivendell."

Bilba stood up and looked back at Ember.

"Thank you for everything."

"Of course." Ember smiled at Bilba one more time before she walked away.

The Company was resting in the cave; all the dwarves were asleep. Bilba, only pretending to be asleep, stealthily opened her eyes and looked around to see Ember who was still awake. She nodded toward Bilba with a slight smile. Seeing that no one was watching, she quietly rolled up her blankets and packed her things. Grabbing her walking stick, she started to leave the cave with Ember, tiptoeing over the sleeping dwarves.

Bofur, who is standing watch, saw Bilba and Ember trying to leave. He jumped up and tried to stop them. They all whispered so as not to wake the others.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Back to Rivendell." Bilba answered.

"No, no, you can't turn back now, you're part of the Company. You're one of us. Both of you."

"I'm not though, am I? Thorin said I should never have come, and he was right. I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins, I don't know what I was thinking. I should never have run out my door." Thorin,, stared thoughtfully at the wall as he listens.

"You're homesick; I understand."

"No, you don't, you don't understand! None of you do you're dwarves. You used to to this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere. She wouldn't even understand, she lost her home. None of you understand what I feel."

"That was low." Ember whispered, hurt.

Bofur looked offended and so did Ember, and Bilba was repentant.

"I am sorry, I didn't..." Thorin listened on.

"No, you're right. We don't belong anywhere. I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do. But, what I don't understand is why you're leaving." He asked Ember.

"I don't belong here. I'm dangerous, and I don't want anyone else getting hurt. So I think it would be better if I left." Bofur understood. He hugged Bilba first then Ember.

While Ember and Bofur were hugging she said something in his ear, "Protect Kili for me."

"With my life." Bofur squeezed her before they parted.

"What's that?" Something was glowing; Bilba pulled her sword partway out of its sheath and saw that it is growing bright blue, meaning Orcs are nearby. Ember took out two knives prepared for whatever was to come. Thorin raised his head as he heard strange machinery noises and saw cracks form in the sand on the floor of the cave.

"Wake up. Wake up!" He yelled.


	6. Chapter 6: Goblins and Ultimate Fear

Before anyone could react, the floor of the cave collapsed downwards; the floor was really a giant trap door. The entire Company fell down a chute, sliding through a tunnel, and landed in a giant wooden cage.

Ember, with her luck, fell right on top of Kili.

"Why do we always meet like this." She said.

"I don't know, but I certainly don't mind it." He replied, which made Ember blush.

As they struggled to get up, a horde of goblins attacked them, took away their weapons, and dragged them all away. As the dwarves were lead away kicking and yelling, Bilba somehow to her dismay got missed by the goblins; not seeing her they left her behind. Nori, looking over his shoulder, saw this happen. Bilba scampered behind some railing to hide as she watched the goblins proceeded through the tunnels. Bats flew in the darkness. Bilba drew her sword, which was glowing bright blue, and slowly followed the goblins. Suddenly, one goblin jumped out in front of her and rushed at her with his sword. After a brief fight in which Bilba barely managed to keep herself alive, the goblin and Bilba both fell over the edge of a platform and fell through the darkness.

* * *

Meanwhile, the goblin horde brought the dwarves and Ember through a vast network of tunnels and wooden bridges to the throne room and platform of the Great Goblin. The Great Goblin was a massive Goblin sitting on a throne, holding a mace topped with a skull. He was far larger than any other goblin, and he is incredibly ugly, with warts all over his swinging chin. The dwarves' weapons were piled together. The Great Goblin jumped off his throne, trampling several goblins, and approached the Company.

"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom? Spies? Thieves? Assassins?"

"Dwarves, Your Malevolence. And whatever the girl is." Kili saw Ember smirk at what the goblin said.

"Dwarves?"

"We found them on the front porch."

"Well, don't just stand there; search them! Every crack, every crevice." The goblins searched the dwarves thoroughly, throwing away whatever they found. Oin's hearing trumpet was thrown on the floor and crushed underfoot.

"What are you doing in these parts? Speak!" None of the dwarves responded.

"Well then, if they will not talk, we'll make them squawk! Bring out the Mangler! Bring out the Bone Breaker! Start with the youngest." The Great Goblin pointed at Ori. However, Thorin stepped forward.

"Wait."

"Well, well, well, look who it is. Thorin son of Thrain, son of Thror; King under the Mountain." The Great Goblin bowed exaggeratedly to Thorin.

"Oh, but I'm forgetting, you don't have a mountain. And you're not a king. Which makes you nobody, really. I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head. Just the head, nothing attached. Perhaps you know of whom I speak, an old enemy of yours. A Pale Orc astride a White Warg." Thorin looked up in surprise and disbelief.

"Azog the Defiler was destroyed. He was slain in battle long ago."

"So you think his defiling days are done, do you?" The Great Goblin laughed, then turned to a tiny goblin sitting in a basket and holding a slate.

"Send word to the Pale Orc; tell him I have found his prize." The tiny goblin wrote down the message on his slate; cackling, he then pulled a lever, causing his basket to start sliding down a system of ropes and pulleys into the darkness.

Some of the goblins grabbed Ember and they dragged her to the feet of the king.

"Ah, I am going to get paid rather well tonight. If it isn't Ember March, the most well known assassin gone rogue. I know someone who would pay a rather pretty price, greater than the one for the dwarf, for you. Not just your head, all of you. Alive. He worries about you, you know. He would love to see his prize weapon returned to him in one piece. I know you know of whom I speak of though."

"Demisrie can have my cold dead body before I worked for him again." Her voice cracked as she spoke. Demisrie's name sent great fear into her body.

"I think he would find that rather aggravating. He needs you alive to… extract what he needs." Ember felt the heat rising in her body. But she did everything to calm herself down, like look at Kili who looked scared for her.

"Grinnah,send word to Demisrie I have his weapon, pretty and… warm." The great goblin picked Ember up by her hair and shoved her back into the arms of the company. Her head and legs extremely hurt as she fell into Kili's arms.

"Are you alright."Oin asked her.

"Other than a splitting headache and a hurt legs, I'll be fine." She admitted as she twisted her hair expertly in a bun. She then rubbed her temples. The great goblin looked happily around.

"Who is Demisrie?" Kili asked her as he helped her stand up. She used him as a crutch.

"Demisrie is something I do not want to talk about, ever. And I swear if anyone asks again there will be one less dwarf in this company." Her face showed not only anger but extreme fear. Kili had never seen her this scared, not even when she was about to die at the hands of trolls, and even in the thunder battle when she was bleeding immensely.

She wasn't just scared she was terrified and on the border of being mortified.

* * *

Bilba regained consciousness and found herself in a dark cavern, lying behind a clump of mushrooms. She saw the goblin who attacked him lying nearby, nearly dead. Suddenly, Bilba saw a strange figure approaching the goblin.

"Yes. Yes. Yes! Yes! Gollum. Gollum." Bilba, out of sight behind the mushrooms, watched as Gollum circled around the goblin. Gollum then began pulling the goblin away by the feet. Suddenly, the goblin woke up and began flailing around. In a fit of rage, Gollum grabbed a rock and pounded the goblin on the head with it, knocking it unconscious again. As Bilba watched in horror, a golden ring fell out of Gollum's loincloth and fell on the floor. Gollum resumed pulling the unconscious goblin away.

"Nasty goblins. Better than old bones, Precious; better than nothing." Bilba, emerging from her hiding spot and retrieving her sword, followed after Gollum. By the light of the sword, she saw the ring on the ground and she picked it up, examining it.

Hearing Gollum singing in the distance, Bilba put the Ring into her pocket and followed the sound of Gollum's voice.

"Too many boneses, Precious! Nothing of flesh!"

"Shut up! Get its skin off. Start with its head." Bilba was mortified at the harsh cold murderous words.

"The cold hard lands, they bites our hands, they gnaws our feet. The rocks and stones, they're like old bones, all bare of meat. Cold as death, they have no breath, it's good to eat!" Rounding a corner, Bilba saw Gollum silhouetted on top of a rock in the middle of a small lake. Gollum was singing as he beat the goblin's body. He smashed it in the head again with a rock. Seeing the glow of Bilba's sword, Gollum looked up. Bilba quickly hid behind a rock, realizing that her sword was still glowing brightly. However, the sword's light started flickering, then completely died out, signifying that the goblin was dead. Bilba peeks out from behind the rock, her gold curls falling over her shoulders, then she was shocked to see that the creature is no longer there. Gollum stealthily paddled through the lake in his little boat, using his hands as paddles. Bilba slowly looked up and found Gollum on a rock above her; Gollum jumped down in front of Bilba.

"Bless us and splash us, Precious! That's a meaty mouthful." Gollum approached Bilba, but Bilba placed the point of her sword on Gollum's throat, causing Gollum to retreat in fear.

"Aaahh. Gollum. Gollum. Ack"

"Back. Stay back. I'm warning you, don't come any closer."

"It's got an elvish blade, but it's not an Elfs. Not an Elfs, no. What is it, Precious? What is it?"

"My name is Bilba Baggins."

"Bagginses? What is a Bagginses, Precious?"

"I'm a Hobbit from the Shire."

"Oh! We like Goblinses, batses, and fishes, but we hasn't tried Hobbitses before. Is it soft? Is it juicy?" As Gollum approached again, Bilba held out her sword in front of him and wildly waved it about.

"Now, now, Keep your distance! I'll use this if I have to!" Gollum snarled at Bilba, causing Bilba to step back.

"I don't want any trouble, do you understand? Just show me the way to get out of here, and I'll be on my way."

"Why, is it lost?"

"Yes, yes, and I want to get unlost as soon as possible." Upon hearing this, Gollum answered in a different voice than before.

"Ooh! We knows! We knows safe paths for Hobbitses. Safe paths in the dark."

"Shut up."

"I didn't say anything." She said confused.

"Wasn't talking to you."

"But yes, we was, Precious, we was."

"Look, uh, I don't know what your game is, but I ..."

"Games? We love games, doesn't we, Precious? Does it like games? Does it? Does it? Does it like to play?"

"Maybe?" Smeagol held up his hands, then began reciting a riddle.

"What has roots as nobody saw, is taller than trees. Up, up, up it goes, and yet, never grows."

"...The mountain." Smeagol began laughing uproariously.

"Yess, yess, oh, let's have another one, eh? Yes, come on, do it again, do it—do it again. Ask us."

"No! No more riddles. Finish him off. Finish him now. Gollum! Gollum!" Gollum snarled, and began rushing at Bilba to kill her, but Bilba held out his hand to stop him and began speaking.

"No! No, no, no. I wa—I want to play. I do. I want to play. I can see you are very good at this. S—so why don't we have a game of riddles? Yes, just, just you and me." Bilba crouched until she was level with Gollum; Gollum scuttled forward, close to Bilba, whispering excitedly.

"Yes! Yes, just, just—just us."

"Yes. Yes. And—and if I win, you show me the way out."

"Yes. Yes " Gollum snarled, turning away from Bilba.

"And if it loses? What then?"

"Well, if it loses, Precious, we will eats it!" Gollum laughed to himself, then turned back to Bilba.

"If Baggins loses, we eats it whole." Bilba paused for a second. She was good at riddles, she was the best in all of the Shire.

"Fair enough." Bilba stood up and put her sword away as Gollum looked on interestedly.

"Well, Baggins first." As Bilba thought of a riddle, Gollum rested his hands and chin on the edge of a rock.

"Thirty white horses on a red hill. First they champ, then they stamp, then they stand still." As Gollum thought, he kept opening his eyes and mouth as if he knows the answer, then changed his mind. This went on for several seconds, until he finally replied questioningly.

"Teeth?" Bilba looked unhappy, and she rolled her eyes, as the answer was correct. Gollum became ecstatic and laughs throatily.

"Teeth! Yes, my Precious. But we—we—we only have nine." Gollum displayed his mouth, showing that he really did only have nine teeth. Bilba was disgusted. Gollum began reciting his next riddle, while getting closer and closer to Bibo. Bilba kept a large rock between the two of them.

"Our turn. Voiceless it cries, wingless flutters, toothless bites, mouthless mutters."

"Just a minute." Bilba walked off thinking.

"Oh, oh! We knows. We knows!"

"Shut up." As Bilba observed the water, she noticed tiny waves forming as a breeze ruffles the surface of the water.

"Wind. It's wind! Of course it is." Gollum snarled in frustration and began slinking around, approaching Bilba.

"Very clever, Hobbitses, very clever." As he got too close for comfort, Bilba pulled out her sword and pointed it at Gollum again, but also began saying her own riddle.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah. A—a box without hinges, key, o—or, or lid; yet golden treasure inside is hid." Gollum thought hard, talking to himself and making many hand motions.

"A box...and a lid...and then a key... "

"Well?"

"It's nasty. Uh, box, uh..." Gollum spat.

"Give up?"

"Give us a chance, Precious, give us a chance!" In frustration, Gollum began pounding the floor and snarling. He puckered his face up deeply, then suddenly opened his eyes wide as he got the answer.

"Eggses! Eggses! What crunchy little eggses, yes. Grandmother taught us to suck them, yes." As Gollum laughed, a bat made a noise in the darkness. Bilba turned to look for the source of the noise; as she turned back around, she realized that Gollum is gone. Gollum's voice suddenly started sounding like an echo from different parts of the cave. Gollum spoke his riddle from some unknown spot.

"Ahh. We have one for you: All things it devours, birds, beasts, trees, flowers. Gnaws iron, bites steel, grinds hard stones to meal. Answer us."

"Give me a moment, please, I gave you a good long while." Bilba tried to think while at the same time she walks around with her sword drawn, looking for Gollum.

"I don't know this one." She said, terrified. She wished Ember were here beside her to help her. She trembled at the thought of dying.

"Is it tasty? Is it scrumptious? Is it crunchable?" As Gollum said 'crunchable,' he appeared behind Bilba and tries to grab her by her delicate throat, but Bilba jumped away and pointed her sword at Gollum.

"Let me think. Let me think."

"It's stuck. Bagginses is stuck." Bilba paced back and forth next to the water, thinking. Gollum smiled eerily and put up his hands in a shrug.

"Time's up." Gollum shifted, preparing to leap on Bilba.

"Time. Ti—the answer is time."

Gollum snarled in frustration.

"Actually, it wasn't that hard." She said under her breath loud enough for Gollum to hear.

"Last question. Last chance."

"Ah, uh..." She hesitated thinking of a question.

"Ask us. ASK US!" Although Gollum is smiling sweetly, he had a rock clutched behind his back with which to hit Bilba. The first time he said "Ask us," he said it sweetly to Bilba's surprise. He then roared it a second time angrily.

"Yes, yes, alright."

Bilba strolled to the edge of the lake to think. She absentmindedly rubbed her pocket and felt the ring inside.

"What have I got in my pocket?"

Gollum looked disgusted and angry.

"That's not fair. It's not fair! It's against the rules!"

In frustration, Gollum threw down the rock he'd been clutching. Bilba made a startled noise.

"Ask us another one."

"No, no, no, no. You said 'Ask me a question.' Well, that is my question. What have I got in my pocket?"

Gollum jumped off his rock and approached Bilba; Bilba moved to keep a rock between herself and Gollum. "Three guesses, Precious. It must give us three."

Gollum held up two fingers to quantify three.

"Three guesses. Very well, guess away."

"Handses!" Bilba pulled her hand out of her pocket just in time.

"Wrong, guess again."

Gollum crouched on the floor, trying to think of the answer. He muttered potential answers to himself and slapped the floor in increasing anger and ferocity as he failed to come up with the right answer.

"Fish bones, goblins' teeth, wet shells, bat's wings ... Knife!" _No I'm not Ember,_ Bilba thought to herself. It caused her to smirk a little.

"Oh, shut up." Gollum yelled at himself. Bilba was rather confused at why he spoke to himself as if he were two people.

"Wrong again. Last guess."

"String!"

"Or nothing."

"Two guesses at once; wrong both times." She was practically taunting the creature.

Upon hearing this, Gollum fell to the floor, sobbing.

"So, come then, I won the game, you promised to show me the way out."

"Did we say so, Precious? Did we say so?" Gollum slowly turned around and glared hatefully at Bilba.

"What has it got in its pocketses?"

Bilba pointed her sword at Gollum.

"That's no concern of yours. You lost."

"Lost? Lost? Lost?"

Gollum grinned as he slowly approached Bilba, planning to kill her. He reached for something hidden at his side; realizing that the item is not there, his face registered his shock. He began groping all over himself trying to find it.

"Where is it? Where is it? No! Ahh! Where is it? No! No!"

Gollum scuttled around the cave, scattering bones and rocks as he searched in vain for the thing he was looking for. He even splashed through the shallows of the lake. His voice broke as he cried.

"Lost! Curses and splashes, my precious is lost!"

While Gollum's back was toward her, Bilba, realizing what it was that Gollum lost, quickly took the Ring from her pocket and held it in her hand behind her back.

"What have you lost?"

"Mustn't ask us! Not its business! No! Gollum, Gollum."

Gollum, leaning over the edge of the lake, sobbed quietly. As he stared into the water, his sobs ceased and his face became contorted in anger.

"What has it got in its nasty little pocketses?" In fear, Bilba clutched the Ring behind her more tightly and pointed her sword at Gollum. Gollum slowly looked up in shock and anger. At first, he whispered; he then got louder and louder until he was roaring.

"She stole it. She stole it! Ahh! SHE STOLE IT!" Snarling, Gollum threw a stone at Bilba. Bilba deflected it with her sword, then ran away, with Gollum chasing her.

* * *

Back in the throneroom of the Great Goblin, dozens of goblins carried massive instruments of torture on their shoulders, bringing them to the Great Goblin. Meanwhile, the Great Goblin is dancing and singing lustily. Ember was on her knees near the throne tied up.

"Bones will be shattered, necks will be wrung! You'll be beaten and battered, from racks you'll be hung. You will lie down here and never be found, down in the deep of Goblin Town." The great Goblin held Ember away from the dwarves. She fought his grasp every second.

"Demisrie doesn't want anything to happen to you, so you can watch your precious dwarves die. But once they're all dead. I have plans for you my dear." Kili heard his words and felt an anger rise in him as Ember tried to fight harder.

"Just let me die, please just let me die." She pleaded, tears were pouring down her face. Kili hated seeing her like that, he didn't want her to want to die. He wanted to hold her until it was all better.

"Aw, now why would I do that. You're Demisrie's toy. But, that doesn't mean I still can't...play with you." The Great Goblin had her turned around so Kili couldn't see her. When the Goblin looked into her eyes they were no longer brown but bright red.

"If you hurt any of them, or touch me in any way. Your entire sanctuary shall burn. And I will just pleasantly watch, all while laughing my ass off." She spoke with such hate and fire. The Great Goblin just smiled evilly.

Grinnah, one of the goblins, was examining the weapons the dwarves brought with them. He picked up Thorin's sword, Orcrist, and slid it a few inches out of its sheath. Recognizing the sword, he gasped in horror and threw down the sword. It landed in view of all the goblins. Recognizing it, the goblins howled in fear and rage as they retreated from it; the Great Goblin ran rapidly to his throne, trampling many goblins on his way and leaving Ember tied where he left her. He spoke loudly, pointing at the sword.

"I know that sword! It is the Goblin Cleaver, the Biter, the blade that sliced a thousand necks." As he spoke, Grinnah and the rest of the Goblins began whipping the dwarves with ropes and leaping upon them, biting and slashing. One of the small goblins leapt upon Ember and bit her shoulder, arm, and whipped her back several times. Her top had been practically destroyed from the whip's impact. And she cried out loudly in pain.

"Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his head!" Goblins held Thorin down, and one of them pulled out his knife and prepared to behead Thorin.

Suddenly, there was a massive explosion of bright light; flinging goblins in the air and destroying the torturing machines. Everyone was knocked down, including the Great Goblin. When the force of the explosion has passed, most of the lights in the area had been snuffed out; in the background, a shadow with a tall pointy hat walks up. It was Gandalf, holding his staff and his sword, Glamdring.

While everyone was down and distracted, Ember burned the ropes at her wrist. She gasped out of pain and touched her shoulder lightly. When she brought her hand back it was covered in blood.

Light slowly returned to the area as the goblins and the dwarves slowly look up, recovering from the shock. They all stared at Gandalf.

"Take up arms. Fight. Fight!" The dwarves quickly get up and began fighting the goblins.

Kili's first reaction was to help Ember. He rushed to their weapons, grabbed them, and then rushed to Ember. Her shirt was only held together by a bit of string. So to keep her dignity he gave her his coat then he gave her her weapons, all before helping her stand.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Of course, you would have done the same for me."

As goblins ran at Gandalf, he killed them with his sword and staff. The Great Goblin, still lying on the ground, saw Gandalf's sword and pointed at it, crying aloud to his goblins.

"He wields the Foe Hammer, the Beater, bright as daylight!" Some of the dwarves reached their pile of weapons and began tossing the weapons to each other; they used their weapons to defeat the goblins around them. Oin manages to reclaim his hearing trumpet, although it has been quite flattened. Nori, while fighting, landed on the floor; the Great Goblin runs at him and swung his mace.

"Nori!" Thorin jumped forward and deflected the Great Goblin's blow, causing the Great Goblin to stumble backward and fall off the edge of his platform, falling to the depths below. The rest of the dwarves and Gandalf continued to fight.

"Follow me. Quick! Run!" Cutting down the goblins around them, the dwarves and Gandalf ran along a pathway leading away from the throne room.

* * *

Bilba hurried through a cave, fleeing from Gollum, whom she could hear in the distance. She would looked over her shoulder constantly out of fear.

"Give it to us!" Gollum screamed.

Bilba was in a side cave; she saw Gollum running past the entrance of the cave she was in. Gasping, she turned around and tried to run through a very small crack in the wall. However, she got stuck partway through. She looked up in fear as Gollum, attracted by the noise, backtracked and saw Bilba stuck in the crack. Snarling, Gollum approached Bilba.

Bilba could only think of Thorin, what he had said to her. She was so scared she would never see him again.

"It's ours. It's ours!"

Gollum snarled again; Bilba exhaled and pushes as hard as she could; she manages to slip through the crack, but her waistcoat buttons were ripped off in the process and they hit Gollum in the face. Gollum snarled. On the other side of the crack, Bilba fell down from her exertions. As she hit the ground, the Ring, which was in her hand, flew into the air. As it descended, Bilba reached up to grab it; instead of landing in her hand, however, the Ring slid onto her finger, and Bilba suddenly becsme invisible. Gollum jumped into the area where Bilba was, growling, and looked around for Bilba, Gollum continued down the cave. Bilba, with the Ring on, saw everything as if she was in a different reality. It shocked her a little.

"Thief! Baggins!" Seeing Gollum run away, Bilba slowly stood up in shock.

* * *

Gandalf and the dwarves were running through the suspended passageways of Goblin Town, with hundreds of goblins running after them. Kili ran next to Ember, she was still so scared about the past events.

"Quickly!"

"Faster!" Ember yelled.

Dwalin saw several goblins running at them from in front.

"Post!" He and some of the dwarves cut a guardrail post from the side of the path and they held it out in front of them like a massive spear.

"Charge!" He and the other dwarves charged at the incoming goblins and swept them away with the long rail. Dropping the rail, Dwalin pulled out his axes and began knocking aside goblins. The rest of the company did the same. Gloin hit one goblin who fell and landed on another suspended path, breaking the path and dropping all the goblins on it into the darkness below. The rest of the Company also fought the goblins around them with their various weapons and fighting styles. Several goblins snarled as they swung on ropes toward the dwarves.

"Cut the ropes!"

Thorin and some of the dwarves cut the ropes holding a raised platform in place; the platform fell outward, entangling the goblins swinging on the ropes. As Kili fought next to Ember, several goblins started shooting arrows at him and her. He deflectsed some arrows with his sword; he then grabbed a nearby ladder and dropped it on the oncoming goblins. Kili and some of the other dwarves ran forward, pushing the ladder and the goblins it had trapped in front of them. As they approached a missing area of the path, the goblins fall down into the darkness; the ladder, however, acted as a bridge for the dwarves to cross to the rest of the path. As soon as they crossed it, Dwalin broke the ladder, preventing the goblins chasing them from crossing it.

"Quickly!" Gandalf yelled.

The dwarves and Gandalf continued running through the maze like paths; they got on a section of the path suspended by ropes from above. They sliced some ropes, and the pathway swung away from the rest of the path, approaching a different path.

"Jump!" Thorin yelled.

Several of the dwarves, including Thorin and Kili, managed to jump to the other path; however, before the rest could, the suspended path swung back like a pendulum to where it started, and several goblins leapt on. As the path swung back again, the rest of the dwarves, Ember, and Gandalf manage to jump to the new path.

Ember cut the ropes before jumping into Kili's waiting arms.

The cut ropes caused the swinging path and the goblins on it to fall. The dwarves and Gandalf continued running through the tunnels, killing all the goblins in their way. Gandalf struck a rock above them with his staff, causing the rock to fall down and it began rolling in front of the Company, squashing all the goblins in their way. Soon, they approached a bridge between two walls of the cavern. As they tried to cross it, the Great Goblin suddenly broke through from underneath the bridge and pulled himself up onto the bridge, in front of the Company. As the Company paused, hundreds of goblins approached them from all sides.

"You thought you could escape me?" The Great Goblin swung his mace twice and Gandalf, causing Gandalf to stumble back and almost fall.

"What are you going to do now, wizard?"

Gandalf leapt forward and struck the Great Goblin in the eye with his staff. The Great Goblin dropped his mace and clutched his face in pain.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Gandalf stepped forward and sliced the Great Goblin in the stomach; the Great Goblin fell to his knees, clutching his belly.

"That'll do it." Gandalf again swung his sword and slices the Great Goblin's neck, causing him to fall down, dead.

His weight caused the bridge to start shaking; suddenly, the section of the bridge on which the company was standing broke away from the rest of the bridge and started sliding down the side of the cavern. The bridge slid at a terrific speed down the cavern's wall, demolishing everything in its way; the dwarves clung on, screaming in terror. The bridge slowed down and landed at the base of the cavern, breaking apart and burying the dwarves in the timber and wood. Gandalf got up from the pile of wreckage and inspected the rest of the dwarves, who were still stuck in the wreckage.

"Well, that could have been worse."

Suddenly, the heavy corpse of the Great Goblin landed on the wreckage, squishing the dwarves further. They cried out in pain.

"You've got to be joking!"

"Son of a bitch!" Ember yelled and gasped in pain as one of the splinters of wood bore into her back, right where one of the goblins had whipped her.

As the dwarves extricated themselves from the rubble, Kili looked up and saw thousands of goblins running at them, climbing down the walls, they looked like little ants.

"Gandalf!" Kili yelled before looking at Ember. She just stared up at the incoming goblins, tears were beginning to run down her face. She then looked at Gandalf.

"There's too many! We can't fight them." Dwalin exclaimed.

"Only one thing will save us: daylight! Come on! Here, on your feet!"

The dwarves got up quickly, helping each other out of the rubble, and they ran away, following Gandalf.


	7. Chapter 7:Orcs and Inferno

Gollum jumped into a tunnel, a tunnel with an exit to the side of the mountain. Daylight was visible through the exit.

"Wait, my Precious! Wait! Gollum, Gollum." Bilba slowly approached, invisible with the Ring on. She had her sword drawn. Hearing a noise, Gollum quickly hid behind a rock. As Bilba watched, Gandalf and the dwarves ran by, escaping through the exit. Bilba, seeing a barely conscious Ember, who was held by Kili, was frantic. The dwarves and Gandalf ran down the side of the steep, tree covered mountain. Gollum again entered the tunnel, looking for Bilba and the Ring. Bilba, still invisible, put her sword to Gollum's neck, then pulled back to swing the sword and cut off Gollum's head. Before she could swing, however, Gollum turned around, looking down the passageway behind him. He could not see Bilba, but Bilba could see him. Again, Bilba placed the tip of her sword at Gollum's throat, but she hesitated upon seeing the look of extreme sadness and distress that was upon Gollum's face. For a second, Gollum looked almost human. Bilba lowered her sword, pitying Gollum and remembering what Ember told her about swords and courage. Bilba then looked determined and took a deep breath, stepping back a few feet. Hearing Bilba's feet, Gollum frowned and he began to growl. Bilba ran forward and leapt over Gollum, stepping on Gollum's head and knocking him over in the process. Still invisible, Bilba ran out the exit. Gollum jumped up and scrabbled around him, trying to grab Bilba, roaring all the while.

"Baggins! Thief! Curse it and crush it, we hates it forever!"

Still invisible, Bilba ran down the mountain after the rest of the Company. Far in front of her, Gandalf paused to count how many dwarves were with him. The dwarves paused to collect their breath.

"Five, six, seven, eight...Bifur, Bofur...that's ten...Fili, Kili...that's twelve...and Bombur that makes thirteen. Ember, oh thank the Valar you're safe. Where's Bilba? Where is our Hobbit? Where is our hobbit?!"

"Curse the halfling! Now she's lost?!" Dwalin yelled.

"I thought she was with Dori!" Gloin accused.

"Don't blame me!" Dori retorted.

"Well, where did you last see her?" Gandalf asked.

"I think I saw 'er slip away, when they first collared us." Nori said.

"What happened exactly? Tell me!" Gandalf roared.

Bilba, still invisible, had caught up to the rest of the group. She hid behind a tree as Thorin spoke.

"I'll tell you what happened. Mistress Baggins saw her chance and she took it! She's thought of nothing but her soft bed and her warm hearth since first she stepped out of her door! We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. She is long gone." Thorin said, but inside he wished she would come back, just so he could see her beautiful smile one more time.

Bilba, who was still invisible, heard everything Thorin said. She leant on the tree as she pondered what she had just heard. The dwarves looked at each other. Ember looked mortified that she had lost her friend.

"No, she isn't." Bilba stepped out from behind the tree, no longer invisible. The dwarves looked up in shock and relief. Gandalf laughed as he watched Ember hug her best friend, hard, all despite her pain.

"Bilba Baggins! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!" Bilba strided forward into the group; she patted Balin affectionately on the shoulder.

"Bilba, we'd given you up!" Kili said as he helped Oin bind Ember's arm and shoulder. He tied two big pieces of string on the back of her top together. She moved her hair out of the way and Kili saw two black wings that were on the top of her back right at her shoulder blades. He ran his fingers over one of them. He was in shock at the deep wounds inflicted by the whipping she had received.

"My wings. When I was in the Ithil they give you a pair. It's just a tattoo." She explained even before he asked the question.

"I like them." He said as he helped her stand.

"How on earth did you get past the Goblins?!" Fili asked.

"How, indeed." Dwalin muttered with a smile on his face.

There was an awkward silence as Bilba tried to think what to say. In the end, she gave a nervous laugh and puts her hands on her hips. Gandalf was the only one to notice Bilba sliding the Ring into her waistcoat pocket. Gandalf looked a bit perturbed.

"Well, what does it matter? She's back!"

"It matters! I want to know: why did you come back?" Thorin asked her before slightly smiling.

"Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair. And my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back, cause you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can." After Bilba spoke, there was silence as the dwarves thought about what Bilba said. Gandalf smiled slightly, happy that Bilba had changed so much, for the better.

Azog and his Warg Riders got to the top of the mountain.

"Run them down! Tear them to pieces!"

He swung his mace forward, and several of his Wargs, without riders, leapt forward and raced down the mountain after the Company, howling. Hearing the howling, the Company members realized they were in danger.

"Out of the frying pan..." Thorin said, but Gandalf finished his sentence.

"...and into the fire! Run! RUN!" They all started running down the mountain as fast as they could. The Wargs followed them rapidly; it became nighttime quickly. Soon the foremost Warg caught up to the group and leapt at Bilba; Bilba ducked behind a rock and the Warg's jaws snapped in the air over her head. The Warg landed in front of her. Growling, it charged at her.

Bilba pulled out her sword and held it in front of her shaking body; the charging Warg impaled itself in the head on the sword and fell down dead. Bilba looked on in surprise. A few more Wargs caught up to the fleeing dwarves, but they were quickly dispatched. The Company reached a large outcropping of land with a few trees growing on it; they were trapped there, as there was no way off the outcropping besides a great fall down the mountain, or they could have turned around only to be killed by Azog.

"Up into the trees, all of you! Come on, climb! Bilba, climb!" Bifur threw an axe, killing a Warg which was approaching him. Bofur jumped off a rock and grabbed a tree branch, using Dwalin's head as a stepping stone to the tree. Other dwarves began climbing into the trees as well. Bilba tried to pull her sword out of the dead Warg's head, but it was stuck firmly. She continued to pull.

"They're coming!" Thorin yelled. Gandalf climbed to the top of the furthest tree; Dwalin boosted Balin up. Thorin, Bombur, and the rest climbed up trees too. Ember jumped into the tree before giving Kili a hand. The main body of Wargs and Warg Riders approached. Bilba finally managed to pull her sword out of the Warg; she looked up to see several more Wargs running at her. She quickly clambered up a tree as the Wargs rushed below her. Dozens of Wargs circled the trees in which the Company members were perched.

Gandalf reached out with his staff and picked up a moth sitting in the same tree as him. Bringing the moth close to his face, he whispered to it; he then blew it gently, causing it to flutter away. The Wargs ceased their growling and turned as the White Warg, with Azog on its back, approached slowly. Thorin looked at Azog in shock.

"Azog?!" As his White Warg growled, Azog stroked it and talked ominously.

"Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast?" [Translation- Do you smell it? The scent of fear?]

"Ganzilig i unarug obod nauzdanish, Torin undag Train ob." [Translation- I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain.]

Thorin looked stricken with pain and grief, realizing that Azog had captured his father.

"It cannot be." Thorin said, his voice breaking.

Azog spoke to his Wargs and Riders.

"Kod, Toragid biriz." [Translation- That one is mine.]

"Worori da!" [Translation- Kill the others!]

At his command, the Wargs leapt forward and tried to climb the trees. They jumped as high as they could, scrabbling at the tree trunks and breaking apart branches in their jaws in their efforts. The trees shook violently at the assault, and the dwarves struggled to hold on.

"Sho gad adol!" [Translation- Drink their blood!]

With the weight of the Wargs climbing it, the furthest tree from the edge of the cliff, which Bilba, Ember, Kili, and several other dwarves were in, got uprooted from the ground and began leaning wildly. As more Wargs grabbed onto it, the tree tipped over and landed on the next tree; the dwarves and Bilba jumped from the falling tree to the next. However, this tree as well tipped over; like dominoes, all the trees began falling over. All the dwarves, Bilba, Ember, and Gandalf managed to jump onto the last tree, on the very edge of the cliff. This tree didn't fall over to everyone's dismay. Azog laughed.

Looking around in desperation, Gandalf spied a pinecone. He grabbed it and used his staff to set the pinecone on fire; he then threw it down amid the Wargs, who retreated in fear of the fire. Azog was startled and angry at the unexpected resistance. Gandalf lit two more pinecones and threw one down to Fili.

"Fili," Gandalf called before seeing Ember.

"Ember, there is no better time than now." Gandalf's voice came to her telepathically.

"But what if I hurt them. What if I hurt Kili?" She asked silently.

"We will die if you don't." She looked up at him and nodded. She slipped her gloves off her hands and shoved them in her pockets.

"Ember what are you doing?" Kili asked her quickly.

"What I have to. Please don't think of me differently after this." She quickly kissed his cheek before she let the branch fall out from under her.

"EMBER!" Kili cried.

She slowly walked forward. Azog laughed evilly before speaking.

"Is this all you have? A simple whore?" He turned to one of his riders.

"Kill her." Ember felt a smirk tug at her lips. There were small simple fires caused by Gandalf's pinecones, but it wasn't enough. She put her hands out to her sides and the fires began to crawl up into the air, higher and higher, one of the flames on each side of her coiled around her wrists and up her slender arms. Soon the flames were as tall as she was. They began to coil and almost dance around her in the night. Her hands flew out in front of her and fire shot out of her palms burning the wargs that came to her. They howled in pain and ran away. But Ember stood her ground, the dwarves heard a laugh, that was almost evil escape her lips. The power that flowed through her body surged. Her eyes were bright red and her hair was no longer just black. Red was starting to fill her hair, glowing brightly in the light. She shot fire toward the fallen trees creating an inferno. She felt herself getting weaker and weaker as she stood her ground. She didn't move other than to breath. Her hands stayed in front of her as the flames grew strong, but she grew weaker.

"Good, now come back." Gandalf voice rang in her mind. She stepped backwards toward the tree. The dwarves cheered and she heard Kili's voice the most. Then their cheers turned into cries of fear as the roots of the tree they were in started to give way; the tree tipped precariously over the edge of the cliff, but came to a rest sticking straight out away from the edge of the cliff. Ember tried to run to Gandalf but she slipped and lost her balance falling to the ground hundreds of feet below her, a small scream escaped her lips. But Kili grabbed her arm just before she could get out of reach. He pulled her up and she held onto the branch as she slipped her gloves back on.

"And that is why they call you Ember?" He asked her.

"Exactly." Was all she said. She was gasping for breath and even though the air was hot from the inferno that lay before them, she was shivering and freezing cold.

"Why would I ever think of you differently that was amazing. You were amazing." He breathed as he watched her eyes go back to their normal brown color and the red faded from her hair. But her cheeks grew bright red. And he smiled as he tightened his grip on the branch. He moved closer to her and she began to warm up at his warmth.

Gandalf looked down and saw the ground far, far, below. The dwarves tried to hold on as they got flung around. Ori lost his grip on the tree and fell, but managed to grab on to Dori's leg.

"Aahhh! Oh! Oh no!"

"Mister Gandalf!" Because of the extra weight, Dori lost his grip on the tree as well and fell, but Gandalf quickly swung his staff down and Dori grabbed on to the end of it.

"Hold on, Ori!" Dori called.

Azog growled; Thorin, clinging to the tree, looked at him in hate and anger. Thorin pulled himself up, his sword drawn, and walked down the leaning trunk as Bilba and the others, hanging from the tree, looked on. Thorin ran through the burning ground at Azog and his White Warg. Azog spread his arms wide with a smug grin on his face. Thorin growled as he ran with his sword up and his oaken branch shield held in front of him. Azog crouched, then roared as his Warg leapt at Thorin. Thorin tried to swing his sword, but the Warg hit him in the chest with its forepaw, smashing Thorin to the ground. The other dwarves in the tree looked on in shock. Dori struggled to hold on to Gandalf's staff.

"Help!" Ori squeaked.

As Thorin got back on his feet, panting, Azog and his White Warg wheeled around; they charged at Thorin again. Azog swung his mace and smashed Thorin in the face before Thorin can react. Thorin was brutally flung to the ground by the impact.

"Nooo!" Balin yelled and Ember gasped.

Azog roared in excitement. Bilba managed to stand up on the tree. The White Warg clamped its jaws around Thorin and Thorin yelled in pain. Dwalin tried to get off and tree to assist Thorin, but the tree branches he was holding on to broke, swinging him precariously over the edge and preventing him from reaching Thorin.

"Thorin! Nooo!" Dwalin yelled.

As the White Warg held Thorin in its mouth, Thorin managed to hit its head with the pommel of his sword. Roaring, the White Warg threw Thorin several feet away onto a flat rock nearby. Thorin landed heavily, his sword falling out of his hand. He was almost unconscious.

"Biriz torag khobdudol." [Translation- Bring me the Dwarf's head.]

One of Azog's Warg Riders jumped off his Warg and approached Thorin. Bilba, seeing this, pull out her own sword, which glowed blue. The orc approached Thorin and placed its sword against his neck; raising the sword, the rider prepared to decapitate Thorin. As he swung his sword down, Bilba threw herself at the orc and knocked him over. As they fought, Bilba managed to stab and killed the orc. As Azog growled in anger, Thorin went unconscious, but his last view was off the beautiful, kind female hobbit protecting him.

Pulling her sword out of the dead orc's body, Bilba stood in front of the unconscious Thorin and protected his body. She waved her sword wildly at Azog and the other Wargs. Azog smiled in hatred and spoke in the Black Speech to his Orcs.

[Translation- Kill her.]

A couple of Wargs and Riders approached Bilba, snarling. Suddenly, Fili, Kili, Ember, and Dwalin, who had managed to get off the tree, plowed into the Wargs from the side and started fighting them. In the confusion, Bilba yelled and leapt forward, wounding a Warg. The White Warg hit Bilba with his head and sends her flying, however. As the fighting around them continued, Azog and his White Warg approach Bilba to kill her. Fili, Kili, Ember, and Dwalin had been surrounded by Wargs, and Bilba was at Azog's mercy. Suddenly, the moth returned to Gandalf. Dori slipped from the end of Gandalf's staff, and Dori and Ori fell toward the ground far below. An eagle swept out of nowhere and caught them on its back; they yelled in fear as they were carried swiftly away. Several more Eagles appeared and joined the fray. Some grab Wargs and Orcs and tossed them over the cliff. Others knocked down trees, which crushed the Wargs below them. Another Eagle fanned the flames with its wings, causing an inferno which burned the Wargs. Azog snarled in frustration. One Eagle gently grabbed Thorin and his sword in its talons and flew away. As Thorin was lifted off the ground, his oaken branch shield slipped off his arm and landed on the ground. Azog roared and jumped back as an Eagle flew by him; the Eagle headed straight for an alarmed Bibo and snatched her off the ground. It then threw Bilba, and she screamed as she fell toward the ground, only to land on the back of another Eagle. Ember, weak from fighting and using so much of her power almost fainted in Kili's arms. But she shook and Kili caught her.

"We're going to have to jump." He said to her and she weakly nodded. He grabbed her hand and they both jumped off the cliff onto the back of an eagle. When they were safe on the eagle Ember breathed a sigh of relief before she passed out. Kili held her close and he kissed her forehead. He was so glad she was safe in his arms. He moved her hair and was shocked to see she had the ears of an elf. It all began to make sense, it was why she never showed them.

The rest of the Eagles proceeded to snatch the dwarves out of the tree and fly away. When only Gandalf was left in the tree, the roots gave way and the tree fell off the edge of the cliff. Gandalf leapt clear of it and was caught by an Eagle. As the Eagles flew away with all the Company, Azog and the few Warg Riders left growled in anger and frustration.

* * *

The Eagles soared through the sky over a great distance and over many landscapes. Thorin lied unconscious in one Eagle's talons; the others worried about him.

Ember slowly woke up, but Kili didn't let her go, he never wanted to let her go.

"Thorin!" Fili yelled and it filled Kili with a giant sense of worry and guilt for his uncle.

The Eagles approached a massive rock structure shaped like a bear; it was the Carrock. The Eagle carrying Thorin gently deposited him and his sword on a flat area on top of the Carrock. Another Eagle landed on the Carrock and Gandalf slid off its neck, running toward the unconscious Thorin.

"Thorin! Thorin." Thorin was not responding. Bilba ran up beside him.

The eagle that carried Kili and Ember landed softly on the ground. Kili dismounted first and then he offered Ember his hand. She took it and dismounted, but this time she didn't let go. They both rushed to Thorin's side.

Gandalf placed his hand on Thorin's face and whispered a spell. Thorin's eyes fluttered open and he gasped for air. He spoke weakly.

"The halfling?"

"It's all right. Bilba is here. She's quiet safe. A few scratches and bruises but she's safe." By now, the other dwarves had all landed on the Carrock, and they surrounded the wounded Thorin. Dwalin and Kili helped Thorin up. However, once he was up, he shrugged them off and approached Bilba. Kili moved back toward Ember, she was still shaking.

"You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?" Thorin advanced until he was face to face with Bilba, who looked worried and frightened. He was so close to her, she could feel his warmth and hear and feel his breath. She looked into his bright blue eyes, afraid of what he would say next.

"I've never been so wrong in all my life!" Thorin grabbed Bilba and embraced her deeply. When they were hugging she felt herself get lifted off the ground and twirled in the air. Thorin pulled her closer to him. A feeling surged through his body straight to his soul. He had never felt it before.

"Thank you," he whispered to her, right in her ear so no one else heard.

"Of course," she whispered in return.

The other dwarves cheered loudly and slapped each other on the back. Gandalf smiled.

"I am sorry I doubted you." Thorin said when they broke apart, but they didn't move to far away from each other.

"No, I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior...not even a burglar." As everyone chuckled, the Eagles flew away, screeching. Thorin looked beyond Bilba and saw something; he strided forward, and the others followed his gaze.

"Is that what I think it is?" Bilba asked. In the distance, on the horizon, they saw the outline of a single, solitary mountain.

"Erebor—The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle Earth." Gandalf said.

"Our home." Thorin said as he smiled at Bilba, who blushed extremely and smiled back. A bird chirped and flew by.

"A raven! The birds are returning to the mountain." More birdsong was heard.

"That, my dear Oin, is a thrush."

"But we'll take it as a sign a good omen." Thorin said and smiled at Bilba again.

"You're right. I do believe the worst is behind us." The Company looked on at the Lonely Mountain as the sun came up behind them. Kili grabbed Ember's arm and practically dragged her to the stairs of the Carrock.

"Kili, please stay away from me. You saw what I could do. I don't want to hurt you." Kili grabbed her wrists and kissed her on the cheek. He was standing on a step above her so they were the same height. She knew she wasn't going to be able to talk him out of it and her face softened.

"You missed."

"What?" Kili asked her confused.

"You missed." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. She felt his hands on her hips as she kissed him. When they broke apart he was smiling widely.

To her he was perfect, and to herself she was so flawed.

To him she was perfect, and to himself he was so flawed.

And they liked it just the way it was.


	8. Chapter 8: Miz Sanazyung

Kili and Ember moved back up the rest of the company. When they advanced forward Thorin turned toward Ember.

"Would you mind telling us what your little inferno was all about? I'm curious to know." He asked forcefully.

"To answer that question I would have to give you a little Middle Earth history lesson. Long ago, the Valar created four beings of great power. Each had the gift of an important element, water, earth, fire, or air. They were called Elementals and were widely glorified by men, dwarves, and elves alike. But men and orcs, full of greed, soon found out that the Elemental's power could be transferred, by the murder of the Elemental itself, or they could be passed directly to an immediate relative. Which was how I received mine. My power had been in my family for generations I guess. The powers hopped all around Middle Earth, somehow the fire element rested on my family. When my mother died, she voluntarily transferred it to me." She trailed off wondering what to say next.

"Who else has the elements?" Fili asked and Ember smiled at him.

"The leaders of the Ithil, Caio who has water, Aros, air, and Demisrie, earth. That is why the great Goblin called me Demisrie's prize weapon. I have the most dangerous element. There is no way the elements can be destroyed, Demisrie just doesn't want mine getting… lost." Gandalf knew differently. There was only one way to destroy them, almost completely. But it could only be in one situation, when the host of all four elements was in dire need and on the brink of death.

"Is it possible to receive more than one element?" Balin asked, intrigued by her story.

"Yes, it is possible to contract all of them, but it is highly dangerous."

"How dangerous?" Thorin asked.

"Destroy all of Middle Earth, kind of dangerous. One element in one "host" is enough to destroy several villages with the single flick of a wrist or snap of a finger. Then multiply the power of that by four, it could be catastrophic. It not only affects the body of the host, but could also affect the mind in ways greater than anyone could ever imagine. It causes them to want more power, to become stronger, and they would stop at nothing to get it. I'm not sure what else to say on the matter. It's a rather confusing story." She said, Thorin lightly smirked at her. He was glad to have such a helpful power, such as her, to be working for him.

* * *

The company moved off the Carrock down the small steps. Bilba pressed against the wall of the mountain to steady herself. Ember looked better than last night, but she was still in pain, that was obvious to Bilba. She would occasionally press her right hand into her wounded left shoulder, but Kili would try and stop her. Then she would send a smile of gratitude his way. She was better around Kili, Bilba knew that. And Kili was more focused around Ember, almost as if to do it out of fear of her getting hurt, or of him disappointing her.

Once they reached the base of the Carrock, the Company suited themselves for another small leg of their journey.

"Bilba," Thorin called her name and it almost scared her. She walked over to him.

"Yes?"

"You need practice with your fighting. C'mon." She was almost surprised at his honesty. But she smiled anyway.

Thorin led her to a small clearing away from the rest of the company.

"Let me see your form." Thorin took out his sword.

"Don't worry I won't hurt you. I would never hurt you." He trailed off before realizing what he said. He looked at Bilba who was blushing wildly. She pulled out her sword and they dueled.

"Good, your form is good, but." He disarmed her before pulling her close.

"Your focus needs work." She was shorter than him and had to look up into his blue eyes. He smiled at her. She sent her lovely smile back. The feeling in his soul came back and larger than before.

He kissed her, powerfully. It shocked her greatly, but she kissed him back. Which shocked him more than his own actions.

* * *

Ember gathered her things hurriedly.

"Ember, what are you doing?" Kili said as he squatted next to her. She looked at him with sad eyes.

"I have to go."

"What? Why?"

"Demisrie knows I was at the Goblin Town,and he will not stop looking for me till he has me. I don't want any of you getting hurt. Especially you Kili, especially you. So I have to go. It was a mistake coming here." She admitted, tears were beginning to well up in her eyes.

"No, please don't leave, don't leave me." He took her shaking hands in his. "If Demisrie ever found you, he would have to go through twelve extremely stubborn dwarves, most of which have anger issues. Then you have a wizard who cares about you so much. Then you have a hobbit who would probably die for you."

"Aren't there thirteen dwarves?" She asked.

"Let me finish, then you have me. I would do anything for you, I would die for you. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you. I love you, and nothing could ever change that." He pressed his lips against hers.

"Please don't leave me." He said shyly.

"I would never want to leave you. And I love you too." She smiled shyly and blushed.

"Thank you, Demisrie can never hurt you. I will do everything in my power to keep that promise."

Ember smiled at him and blushed. But he had a question that he needed answered.

"Ember?"

"Yes Kili?"

"Are you an elf?" Ember felt her breath sucked out from inside of her. She was speechless.

"I'm sorry, when you passed out on the eagle I saw your ears, and it made me wonder."

"I'm a half blood." She admitted plainly. Kili knew of half bloods, most were disgraced in all of Middle Earth on their parent's behalf.

"My mother was an elf, she ran away from her family and my father found her. She knew automatically that he was her "One" I guess, then they had me. Long story short." She said before running her shaking hands through her long black hair. Kili saw her ears and smiled. He moved her hair on the right side of her face, the side facing away from the other dwarves, so he could see her ear.

"I like them, they fit you." He pressed his forehead against hers and she smiled.

"How can you just put everything about me to the side?"

"How do you figure?"

"I'm a half blood, and ex-assassin, and an Elemental. Yet, you act like you don't care."

"I care, I care about everything that has to do with you. But, I find it beautiful, it defines you, making you more perfect. And no matter what you say to try and change my mind. I am set on you, and no one else."

"How did I get so lucky." She said before quickly pecking his lips.

Kili was about to say something but he felt something knock him over. And he opened his eyes and saw Ember laughing hysterically and his older brother hovering over him.

"What are we talking about?" He asked before looking at Ember.

"Get off of me Fili." Kili said as he pushed his brother off of him. Ember had fallen over she was laughing so hard. She tried to breathe in, but she just started laughing again.

"Why are you still laughing?" Kili asked.

She regained her composure before she spoke, "Because seeing you two interact is the highlight of my day." She licked her lips before Fili smiled widely.

"I like her. Keep her." Fili shoved his brother's arm so hard he fell over. Instead of getting mad at his brother he jumped on him instead.

"Gang up on Ember?" Kili asked as Ember laughed loudly. Fili nodded aggressively. Once they were both up they jumped on Ember.

"No, stop it, for the love of life stop it." All of them were laughing loudly.

"I hate you guys." She said as she fixed her hair when she sat up. Kili laid on the ground looking up at her. He was so in love with her, every inch of her was beautiful, she was smart, beautiful, and strong. He really did love her.

"You love us and you know it." Fili said. Ember shrugged and nodded before lying back on the ground next to Kili, she winced in pain before pressing her hand on her injured shoulder. Kili sat up immediately.

"What happened?" He asked her as she rubbed her shoulder.

"You idiots hurt it when you jumped me. My shoulder hit the ground hard, but I'll be fine." Kili moved closer with a sympathetic look on his face.

"Man you guys take me way too seriously." She smiled again before jumping Kili. Fili just about died laughing.

"You faked it?"

"Not entirely, but yes." She laughed and rolled off of him.

"You're terrible." Fili said. She leaned on her arms.

"Of course I am. I'm me. I'm fabulous. Get used to it." Fili let out a hearty laugh before he fell over again. Ember sighed and looked up to the blue sky.

"What is going on here?" Ember heard the familiar voice ask. She looked back and saw Bilba and Thorin walking back toward the group.

"Fooling around, as usual. Want to join us?" Ember answered and stood up.

"Um, sure." And before Bilba was done answering Ember picked Bilba's small frame off of the ground and into the air.

"Put me down, put me down!" Bilba screeched. Ember just laughed, so did Fili and Kili.

"As you wish." Ember dropped Bilba onto the soft grass.

"Ouch, what was that for?"

"You said put you down, so I did. You should never agree to fooling around with me." Kili laughed and Ember plopped down next to him.

"Good to know," Bilba laughed and looked at Thorin who was talking to the rest of the company.

"I am so glad to have you," Kili whispered in Ember's ear as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"The feeling is mutual." She smiled one more time before she laid flat on the grass. She put her hands under her head and she looked up at the sky.

"Kili?"

"Yes?"  
"How am I not dead yet?" He looked into her dark brown eyes, shocked at her question.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't die at the hands of the trolls, or goblins, or during the thunder battle, or at the hands of the orcs. How is that possible?"

"I don't know. All I know is that I'm still alive because of you. Now, will you give me a chance to save your life?"

"I'm good, I have fun saving your's."

Kili rolled his eyes before he laid down next to clouds were turning dark and sprinkles of rain were starting to fall. Ember flinched as one drop fell right on her nose. Kili let out a laugh.

"What?"

"You flinched."

"I did not." She defied. Kili kissed her nose right where the raindrop landed.

"Yes you did." He whispered. She rolled her eyes.

"How's your shoulder?" He asked her.

"Eh, the swelling is down, but I imagine it'll be bruised for a while."

"And your back?"

"Still stings, but I'll be fine. Now stop worrying about me."

"Not likely love." She smiled at her new nickname.

"Love, I like it." Kili played with her hair and she smiled widely.

"Bilba?" Ember asked.

"Yes?"

"What happened in the Goblin tunnels."

"Let's just say. I officially hate riddles."

"Ooh, I want to hear the story." Ember said and made her best childish face. Kili turned toward Bilba and Ember felt him lift her head up and put it on his lap. She looked up at him. He sent her this sexy little half smirk which caused her to smile.

"I fell into the darkness with another Goblin, and when I woke up there was this creature. He was small, pale, and scary looking. He would constantly talk to himself and something he called "Precious." He threatened to eat me, but I distracted him with riddles." Bilba made sure not to mention the ring she had found. And unbenounced to her, Ember, Fili, and Kili, Thorin was listening to her story.

"He told me a riddle that was rather simple and I answered. Then I made him a deal. If I won the game he would show me the way out. And he said if he won he could eat me. Now, I was good at riddles in the Shire, best around. So I agreed. But the creature was almost better. We went back and forth, he almost won, and I almost won. But then I asked him a question he couldn't solve and I won. While he was throwing a tantrum I hid, and he practically showed me the way out. Then I ran into you guys."

"Well said. A rather well told story. See, when you go back to the Shire when this is all over you can tell that to people." Ember said.

"I could couldn't I?" She sighed. She didn't think she would be going back to the Shire. She didn't think she was going to survive long enough to even try.

Kili continued to play with Ember's hair. And she looked up at him, into his beautiful dark eyes.

"You never answered me, how did I get so lucky with you?"

"I'm not sure, but I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

Thorin had told Kili to take the first watch. Kili agreed as usual. The rain continued to lightly fall, but Kili didn't mind it. He watched as Ember curled up under a tree near him. She tried to fall asleep, but it wasn't possible. She tossed and turned in a terrible dream, one of which she couldn't remember. So she stood up and walked next to Kili. She sat down and rested her tired head on his shoulder.

"Can't sleep?"

"No, I can't remember the dream."

"That's alright. You can sit here with me, until you get tired."

"Thanks." He smiled and looked at her, his kind look in his eyes. She kissed him. He smiled at her. She felt one of his arms wrap around her shoulders and she leaned into him.

"What's bothering you love?"

"Demisrie. Everything about him scares me. I don't want any of you getting hurt. It would kill me if you got hurt. I was thinking, what if he does find me. He'll kill you, then everyone here, all to get to me."

"We won't let that happen. I won't let that happen. I will protect you till I breathe my last." Kili said kindly, Ember felt so safe with him. That was obvious to not only her, but him. There was just something about her that triggered something inside of him, almost as if it were in his soul. He had to protect her, he had to keep her safe. He felt if he didn't there would be something inside of him that would perish. He held her tightly as she fell asleep in his arms. He looked at her, she looked calm, almost content. But then he remembered her injured shoulder and back. Even with those injuries she still had managed to save all of their lives.

She had saved his life, and he owed her for that, though he knew she probably wouldn't let him.

He kissed her forehead when Fili woke up to take his turn to take watch. Ember slightly woke up.

"It's OK. Fili's taking watch." Kili laid flatly on the ground.

"Good," Ember said as she moved closer to him. She felt safe around him. And as she snuggled up to him, he wrapped his strong arms around her and she fell asleep again, but he said something to her that made her smile.

"Goodnight my Miz Sanazyung." She knew what that meant.

"I love you Kili." He kissed her forehead.

"I love you too Ember."

 **So, I have finished The Unexpected Journey, I'm sorry if you felt like this was a filler chapter, because it kind of was. But I was so happy while writing this chapter. I just love Kili so much. This was kind of a short chapter, and I'm kind of struggling on what to do next to fill the gap between The Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug. So Please review on thought, love you so much.**

 **Translations:**

 **Miz Sanazyung- Perfect Love**


	9. Chapter 9: Stories of the past

**OK, I'm so freaking excited right now. I have 800+ views. It feels so surreal and I feel so loved right now. It feels so good to know there are people out there who care about my story.**

 **Love always, happy reading**

The company had their things together and they set out shortly before dawn. Ember stuck next to Kili, and he stayed with her. Fili walked behind the two making jokes the entire time. Bilba walked behind Thorin. Everything was different between them since their kiss. But it wasn't a bad different, it was a very good different. Thorin was definitely more protective of Bilba than anyone else. Just as Kili was extremely protective of Ember. The woods around the Carrock were rather large, but no one really minded.

"Ember?" Fili asked.

"Yes?"

"How many sibling do you have?"

"I had two, but my little sister died in the orc raid. Now I just have a brother."

"The man in Rivendell?"

"Precisely."

"What's he like?"

"Annoying. He's super smart, and that's all he practically ever talks about. But, he's fun, when he's around one person other than me."

"And who would that be?"

"You obviously wouldn't know her, but her name is Imogen. She's absolutely beautiful, kind, smart, let's just say a much better person than I am."

"That's not true. You're amazing." Kili said.

"Kili didn't mother teach you not to lie." Fili joked.

"I'm hurt that you would say that." Ember said sarcastically before giving a dramatic sigh.

They both started laughing loudly. Kili joined in.

"I'll leave you two be." Fili said before running off to Thorin.

"What was that all about?" Ember asked.

"No idea," Kili lied. The company was coming to a stop for the night at a clearing a couple of miles away from the Carrock.

"Kili what are you doing?" Ember asked as Kili swooped her small frame into his arms. He kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I wanted to give you something. I found it in the troll hoard."

"You've kept it this long?"

"Eh, I was determined." He pulled a silver bracelet with a large sapphire on it. Ember gasped and smiled.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it." He clasped it around her wrist.

"How did you know you would be giving it to me though?"

"A gut feeling that I just went with. And I'm glad I did."

"How did you keep it safe?"

"No idea, I almost lost it when we were in Goblin town. But I am so glad I didn't. I saw it and thought of you, it almost matches your necklace." Ember smiled as she fingered her pendant.

"Where did you get your necklace anyway?"

"My mother gave it to me for my tenth birthday. That's when she got it. She told me, if I ever have a daughter, to give it to her on her tenth birthday. It's been in my family for generations. It's all I have left of my mother."

"Kind of ironic don't you think?"

"A little yeah, it's been in my family longer than the fire element, so yeah, really ironic." He kissed her again.

"You spoil me you know that?" Ember said when they parted.

"It's kind if my job." Ember laughed. Kili grabbed her hand and they walked back to the company. No one had really noticed they were gone, nor did they realize they were back, strictly because Gandalf and Thorin were arguing, again.

"It was your mistake to go the mountain pass. You were not supposed to leave Rivendell." Thorin had no good answer to what Gandalf had said.

"The elves gave us no sanctuary, they wouldn't not bless our quest and you knew that!" Ember rolled her eyes and sat down.

"You endangered the entire company due to you foolishness." Gandalf retorted.

"Hey, will you go argue somewhere else. You're giving me a splitting headache." Ember yelled and rubbed her temples.

"Or just stop arguing period." Bilba agreed. Thorin looked at Bilba sympathetically. Then he looked at Ember. Oin was looking at her still wounded back.

"How's it looking?" Ember asked Oin.

"Still bleeding occasionally, but not infected. So it's doing well, that's the good part."

"What's the bad part?" She asked with a slight hint of fear in her voice.

"The wounds are rather deep, and will take at least three weeks to fully heal. But there definitely will be some scars left."

"Great, just more to add to the list." Ember joked, but Kili didn't find it funny. He could tell she was putting her pain to the side, but she was still hurting. He sat next to her. Bilba sat on the opposite side of her. Kili took Ember's hand in his. He then ran one of his fingers over the bracelet.

"I'm glad you like it."

"How could I not, it's gorgeous."

"Just like you," Kili whispered in return. Ember blushed.

"For an assassin you blush and smile a lot."

"I may be twenty six in age, but I have the maturity of a teenager." Kili let out a laugh.

"What is going on with them?" Bilba asked and pointed to Gandalf and Thorin.

"Gandalf's just pissed Thorin went off without him. Give him a day and he'll be fine."

"Are you sure about that?" Kili asked.

"Absolutely. Gandalf can't stay mad at someone for a while, unlike me. He'll come around as early as tomorrow morn." Ember laid her coat on the ground and then she laid flat on it looking up at the sky. Kili laid next to her, which caused her to smile. Ember noticed Bilba playing with her hair, almost as if she were annoyed with it.

"Want a little help with your hair?" Bilba shyly nodded. Ember braided it then she put the gold braided curls in a perfect bun on the top of Bilba's head.

"Thanks," Bilba said.

"Of course. It helps to have another girl in the group."

"I was just thinking about if there were only one of us here."

"I would have probably gone crazy by now."

"Is that possible for you to go more crazy?" Fili joked as he sat down in front of them.

"You're mean," Ember sarcastically said as she tried to act offended.

"I know." Fili retorted which caused Ember, Kili and Bilba to laugh. But as she was laughing Ember's headache reached a point of extreme pain. She stopped laughing and rubbed her temples trying to get the pain to subside, but it wouldn't go away. She brought her knees up to her body and rested her chin upon them.

"Is everything alright?" Bilba asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, it's just a headache. It'll pass."

"Do you need anything?" Kili asked as he rubbed her hand with his. Ember sent him a reassuring smile.

"I'm alright, it'll go away in a moment." But instead of going away, it got more painful. But Ember acted as if nothing was wrong. She laid back on her coat and stared up at the sky. The air was cool, not too warm, not too cold, but perfect. Gloin had made a fire and it comforted Ember to hear it crack occasionally. Bilba stood up and sat next to Thorin, and Fili just walked away leaving Ember and Kili alone.

Ember crossed her legs and let her hair down. It sprawled out over the ground in a cascade of black. Kili loved seeing her like that, it made her look like a queen, not the strong exterior she puts on daily, but she looked almost like royalty. He certainly loved her normal exterior, it was perfect, but he loved seeing her happy. He took one of her hands in his and rubbed it with his thumb. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. Her eyes sparkled in the firelight.

Kili laid next to her looking up at the sky. Ember watched as shooting star passed by. It made her smile, she then looked over at Kili. He watched the stars with a look on his face, it was almost confused.

"What's bothering you?" She asked and leaned on her arms, turned towards him.

"You, I can tell you're in pain, but you put it off. Why?"

"Because pain is a weakness. I've been taught not to show weakness because it makes you vulnerable."

"But, it also shows you're human. Your weaknesses help shape you as a person." Ember went completely silent at his words. She laid down again not looking at him. Kili began to think he had offended her.

"I'm sorry, it's-"

"No, I'm not upset at you. It's that no one has ever cared about me that much to say something like that. It took a second to set in, that's all. I could never be mad at you." Kili felt a smile tug at his lips. Ember smiled.

"Ember?"

"Yes?"

"Is Ember a nickname, or your real name?"

"Emilia is my real name, but I haven't been called that in a long time."

"Emilia? I like it. It's pretty."

"Thanks, I think you would be the only one who thinks that."

"Why would you say that?"

"It's a forgotten name. I don't even really respond to it anymore. It reminds me of my mother, and remembering that kind of upsets me."

"Well you have a right to be upset. They were your family, your kin. And they were taken from you. It's OK to cry, it's OK to be upset. You have the right, you have the only right." Kili watched as tears started to fall down her beautiful face. He placed both hands on her face and wiped her tears away. She practically melted into his hands. She smiled at him and he kissed her.

"How do you literally know everything?"

"It's a gift," Kili replied cockily.

"And the moment was ruined." Ember said before laughing. She laid on the ground and looked straight at Kili. He leaned in and kissed her.

"Did I save the moment?" He asked with the smirk on his face.

"Quite possibly." She smiled before he kissed her again. Ember sat up quickly and leaned on her hands.

"What?" Kili asked.

"I thought I heard something."

"Like what?" Ember turned around and looked into the darkness of the forest.

"It was nothing." She said before laying back on the ground. But she could have sworn she heard a series of twig snaps. Kili laid next to her, slightly concerned on if she had heard something. He noticed Ember take one of her knives and set it on the ground. Kili did the same thing but he moved his bow closer to him.

"I got you paranoid?" Ember asked, snapping Kili back into reality.

"Yeah, a little bit." Ember smirked. She sat up her hair sprawling down her back. Kili started to play with her hair absentmindedly, he twisted it, braided it, or just played with it.

"You OK?" Ember asked.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"You've never played with my hair this frantically before."

"Sorry, I was thinking."

"Yeah, I got that, but what about."

"If there really is something out there." Ember scanned the entire company most of which were asleep. Bofur sat next to the fire keeping it from dying. Fili sat next to him carving a stick with one of his knives.

Ember began to think, she had never told someone as much as she had with Kili, she had never felt so safe around someone than she did with Kili, she had never loved before, and when she was with Kili it was all different. It was all perfect.

"Ember?" Kili asked.

"Yeah?"

"I was calling for you, what were you thinking about?"

"Nothing important."

"It seemed pretty important, I tried calling you four times."

"I was just thinking of something that makes me happy."

""Tell me, I want to know what makes you happy."

"You're going to think I'm some little teenage girl for saying this."

"Tell me." He smiled at her.

"You do."

"Really?" Kili's eyes lit up.

"How can I not be happy around you. Your smile practically lights up my world, everything you say practically makes my entire day, and just being around you makes me better, a better person, just better. I don't know, you probably think it's stupid." Ember rubbed the back of her neck.

"No, I don't think it's stupid. I feel the same way about you, I just didn't think you would have felt the same way. I am more focused around you, more skilled around you, I'm just better around you, and I'm not the only one who has noticed, Fili's noticed I fought better in Goblin Town strictly because I felt the overcoming urge to protect you. Bilba's noticed, she can tell I'm extremely protective of you, especially when you mention the Ithil or Demisrie. And Thorin's even noticed, he doesn't know exactly why, but he could tell I was a better fighter. I can't help but feel different, a good different when I'm around you. And I love the feeling." He kissed her, passionately.

"Emilia?"

"Yes?"

"What were you like as a child?"

"Ooh, that's a fun topic. But, I promised Fili I would tell him about that as well."

"I'll go get him. Kill two birds with one stone kind of thing."

"No, don't get up I have a better idea." Ember searched the ground and found a small pebble.

"Left side, middle of the neck." She smirked evilly before the pebble flew from her fingers, hitting right where she said. Fili looked around and stared straight at Ember, who waved him over.

"You hit me with a rock."

"With perfect accuracy I might add." Kili let out a laugh.

"What do you two want?" Fili asked gruffly.

"Kili asked for my childhood stories, you asked about them earlier."

"And I still want to hear them." He sat down with his legs crossed.

"Exactly. Where do you want to start."

"Happiest memory." Kili said.

"OK, well it was a frequent memory, so I'll start from the beginning. When I was six my baby sister was two, we were inseparable. My mother made us each a dress, mine was bright blue Emi's was pink. Every morning we would wake up and pick exactly thirteen flowers of our color. Then we would twist them into a crown. And we would be princesses. And every night, rain or shine we would dance in the starlight for hours, then when we were done we went down to the river and take apart our crowns and watch the flowers go down the river." Ember looked at Kili who was smiling widely.

'What?"

"I'm trying to imagine what baby Emilia looked like."

"I was adorable, but I was short for my age, I had midnight black hair that flowed to my mid back and there was a smile always on my face."

"Wait who's Emilia?" Fili asked.

"Me, Emilia is my real name."

"I did not know that."

"No one does, except for Kili." Ember slightly nudged him.

"Now, I told you my happiest memory, now you tell me yours. Either of you."

"Ooh, I got one. When Kili was a baby, he had just learned how to walk and talk."

"Oh, no, not this story." Kili protested and put his head in his hands, Ember wrapped her arms around him.

"I want to hear it, go on." Kili shook his head, for he knew what was coming.

"He was completely defiant of the rules and got me in trouble often, so one day for no apparent reason, he threw off his clothes and ran around wildly." Ember started to laugh, Kili just shook his head out of embarrassment.

"He ran around like that for an hour with me chasing him, until Thorin grabbed him. Kili just laughed."

"Aww, see that wasn't so bad. I'm having fun imagining little baby Kili." Ember kissed Kili's bright red cheek.

"No, it gets better. Go ahead Fili tell her what you did next."Kili retorted.

Fili rolled his eyes, "In the heat of the moment, young Fili threw off his clothes and began running around like a mad man too. Thorin let go of Kili who began to run around again. It was pure madness. We were both laughing and running around, all until Thorin ruined the moment, again. We both calmed down and reluctantly put our clothes back on, and acted like the princes we were, for a while." Ember laughed, Kili was still embarrassed, and Fili laughed as well.

"What else do you want to hear?" Ember asked.

"I know you don't like talking about your parents, or sister. What about your brother?"

"Um, hold on let me think of one." She paused. "Ooh, I got one. I was fifteen Emery was seven, we were both in Rivendell under the care of one of the elves and Emery and I had the perfect idea of a joke. And we pulled it off rather well too I might add. But it was evil, just pure evil. Now, I had this huge fireplace in my room, and being a fire elemental I am immune to the effects of fire. So I hid in the chimney, not getting burned or anything, and Emery rushed to the elf telling her I had run away, we even planted a note written in Elvish and the elf came in panicking I waited till she left, then i crawled out of the chimney. The elf came back in in a panic to see me. I was perfectly fine. And all I said was that I forgot something. Emery and I died laughing, the beating we received should have put up into shape, but we were pranking again in a matter of hours. We were terrible, apart we were fine, normal even, but together all hell broke loose. And there was nothing to stop us."

"You sounded like a fun child," Fili said.

"Eh more or less. Some of the time I spent in my room surrounded by books I was reading. There was always unfinished pieces of paper that littered the ground around my bed, all were drawings. I was rather talented according to a lot of people. I never believed it. I drew in fits of emotion, thoughts flowed out of my drawings. I was the picture of creativity according to most. But my drawings often pictured sadness, fear, or possibly love. It all depended on my mood. I mainly stayed in my room, Emery sometimes drew with me, but he mainly read my books. But, I was a very happy child despite my past. I was most of the time outside with Emery running around, or practicing archery. It was fun, until it wasn't. When I was a late teen the elves said I should start acting more like a lady. They took my drawings away and tears streamed down my face as I watched them burn. They kept me away from Emery and I couldn't take it anymore."

"That's why you ran away." Kili finished. Ember nodded.

"I ran out of the arms of the elves and into the arms of the Ithil. Demisrie, Caio, and Aros treated me like I was a queen, a warrior queen with a gift that shouldn't get lost. They always had an eye on me. Whenever I had a job, someone else always came with me. I had less freedom with the Ithil than I did with the elves." Ember stopped, she knew she didn't want to continue. It was much to painful for her. She played with her hair a bit.

"Are you alright? You stopped." Kili asked.

"I don't feel like I want to continue." Ember said before she stood up, she walked shortly into the woods and sat next to a tree looking at the ground, still in view of Kili and Fili. Kili was about to stand up and walked after her but Fili stopped him.

"Give her time, if she wants to talk she'll talk. Just don't force it." Fili said before he stood up and walked away, leaving his brother behind. Kili looked at Ember before he looked up at the sky, confused at her sudden change of emotions. But, Fili was right. If Ember wanted to talk about it, she would come around one day, or so Kili hoped.

 **So just another filler chapter, I plan to do possibly two or three of these before transitioning into the Desolation of Smaug. Hope y'all like it. Love you so much.**


	10. Chapter 10: Monster and Wondering

**Ok, 1000 views! This feels so amazing that so many people read my things.**

 **I just wanted to let you all know. If this chapter feels a bit like a downer, you're a bit right. I write based on the way I feel. So lately I've been stressed, beaten (mentally), cursed at, yelled at, and everything in between. Plus I just had finals for school, and by the Valar that was stressful. So I hope you can forgive this chapter for being a bit of a downer. But, hopefully it gets better for you all.**

 **Sorry if this was a long awaited update, I've just been so busy lately.**

 **Love you all so much!**

She barely spoke to anyone except Kili after that night. She hated questions, absolutely despised them, and Kili gave her the space she needed. But she still enjoyed his company, which made him feel much better about the situation, but he still felt a sting of guilt in his core.

Bilba felt different, happy, like something new had been awakened inside of her. She stayed at the front of the company with Thorin as they moved along in their adventure. But, she would look back at Ember who walked at the back of the company with an eerie silence and a paranoid look. She would look behind the company constantly, with one hand on her long curved knife. Bilba began to worry, a lot, for her best friend. It pained her to see her like that, and it all started one morning and then she wasn't the same afterward.

They had been walking for about two months and nothing rather eventful happened, Ember loosened up a little, but still kept many secrets inside. She began to talk much more to Kili, Bilba, and Fili, other than that she stayed mainly silent.

It was late one night, the stars were out and a fire was lit. Thorin was trying to get Gandalf to tell him what the plan was, but even Gandalf didn't know.

"You do not need to know everything, Master Dwarf. Plans change, or just create themselves."

"But it helps to know everything. And what do you mean plans create themselves? Do you have any idea what we are doing?"

"Not entirely." Gandalf admitted. Thorin groaned loudly. Ember sat with Kili, Fili, and Bilba near the fire. Bilba let out a soft sigh.

"Can this get any better?" Ember asked sarcastically as she rolled her eyes. Kili smiled at her which made her feel a little better inside. Thorin heard her rude remark and felt some anger well up inside of him.

"Kili, Fili," Thorin called and his nephews came over like called dogs.

"Take the first and second watch. And Kili?"

"Yes sir?"

"I want you to stay away from the Elemental." Thorin whispered to him, but Ember heard the whole thing.

"What? Why?"

"Because I'm dangerous? Is that why?" Ember retorted, the words flew out of her mouth and she knew would be unable to take them back.

"Yes, you are dangerous, and I don't want any of my company getting hurt." He trailed off, anger was prominent in his voice.

"Go ahead say it, I know you want to say one little word. Go ahead."

"I want you to stay away from her because she's a monster." Most of the company let out a gasp a the harsh word rolled off of Thorin's tongue, it was full of hate.

"Exactly. I'm a monster. I know you all think that." She turned around and rushed into the woods without looking back, out of sight from the dwarves. Kili began after her, but Thorin grabbed his arm.

"Let go of me."

"What did I just say to you? Stay away from the Elemental." Thorin was practically yelling at his young nephew.

"You told me to stay away from her, but I'm sorry. I can't do that. And her name is Emilia, not the Elemental." Kili shook off Thorin's strong grasp before running to find Ember. And he found her, she was laying in a clearing far away from the company. He just watched her as little butterflies, made of fire danced around and above her, he was completely amazed. But then the butterflies began to collide together creating a ball of fire, it wasn't big, but about the size of a small wheel.

It began to take a shape, Kili's eyes moved down from it to Ember's hands as they danced.

The fireball was no longer a ball but the silhouette of a girl. He was able to recognize her due to the detail she received. She stood alone in a crowd, people were pointing at her, yelling at her. He was able to hear the words like it were actually happening.

" _Freak! Monster! Abomination! She'll kill us all! Get her before she gets us!"_ The crowd yelled at her. The silhouette cowered at the harsh words.

" _Please I don't want to hurt you. Just let me go."_ The girl pleaded with them as they moved ever so closer.

" _It's a little late for that lassie isn't it?"_ Someone called out. But then a tall figure appeared.

" _Let her go, or you're going to suffer the consequences."_ Kili watched the crowd cower at the arrival of the man, he wore a long black robe with a hood. Then they all rushed away leaving the girl alone with the man.

" _Who are you?"_ The girl asked.

" _My name is Demisrie, and I have a gift similar to yours Emilia. I'm here to help you for I knew your mother."_ Kili felt some anger rise inside of him. Then with one swift move Ember moved her hands and the pictures were destroyed in a cloud of smoke. Kili just leaned against the tree as Ember covered her eyes and cried. He watched her sit up.

"Are you going to sit there gawking at what just happened, or are you going to come over and ask questions?"

"How did you know I was there?" Kili asked as he came out from behind the tree.

"Twigs snapping is a sound the I can hear easily." Kili sat in front of her, but she didn't look at him.

"You probably think I'm a monster too don't you?"

"I could never think you're a monster. I think what you can do is amazing, just like you are."

"But, I've hurt people. I never wanted this. Why can't it just be over?" Tears streamed down her face.

"Because there is still something inside you that want's to keep going." He wrapped his arms around her and she melted into him.

"I never wanted to be a monster. I was just a child, I was normal."

"But, you're still beautiful, still amazing." He kissed the top of her head.

"But I'm a monster. I'll always be dangerous."

"You're not dangerous. It's a gift and it makes you who you are."

"But I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt any of them."

"Emilia, look at me." Her dark eyes met his as his strong hands held her face. He wiped some of the tears away with his thumb. "You can never hurt me. You can never do anything to change the way I feel about you." Their lips met in a fiery kiss.

"I love you so much. I love everything about you, your gift, your past, and especially your future." Kili said as she smiled.

"Just as I love you. And nothing can ever change my mind." He kissed her again pulling her body close to him.

"You are not a monster. You are not a freak. You are not an abomination. You are not a mudblood. You are not crazy. You are perfect. You are mine, just as I am yours. And I wouldn't have you any other way." Kili squeezed her and heard her say two faint little words.

"Thank you."

"You know we're going to have to go back to the company soon right?"

"You can go. I still think I'm going to need a little more time."

"Whatever you need." Kili said as she laid on the grass again. He watched as little birds of flame flew from her fingertips, flapping their little wings.

"Don't touch them, or Thorin will have a real reason to hate me." She said as her fingers danced. The little birds flew in the air above them. Kili laid on the ground with his head next to Ember's.

"Demisrie was always strict to me, Caio and Aros were always rather kind to me. While Demisrie treated me like a weapon, fragile and like I needed to be protected. Caio and Aros treated me like a daughter, like their princess, not their bitch like Demisrie did. I always liked Caio and Aros more than Demisrie."

"So why did you leave?"

"Because Demisrie's bad far outweighed their good. I couldn't handle it anymore. Caio and Aros knew that, so they helped me escape. For their sake I almost regret leaving."

Kili leaned over her and planted a kiss on her lips. The flaming birds above them faded to nothing. She wrapped her arms around Kili's neck.

He watched a smile move across her perfect face. Nothing had ever felt more perfect than this moment. She sat up and looked straight into his eyes.

"What are you doing?" He asked. She moved closer to him, her gaze never leaving his. Her lips pressed against his.

They parted and Kili looked absolutely perplexed.

"What?" She asked with her head tilted.

"Perfection. Nothing less."

"Wow, you had me worried there for a moment." She said as she laid back on the grass looking up at the sky.

"What is it?" Kili asked her.

"Have you ever looked up at the stars and wondered what they see, where they go when the sun comes up?"

"I find starlight a dead cold light without emotion. It is far away, out of the grasp of us."

"Logical answer, common for a dwarf."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Dwarves have a common logical sense. Most tend not to even have an imagination."

"I have one!" Kili retorted and Ember shot him a look of question.

"I just tend not to use it often." He admitted.

"There it is." She said and smiled.

"Dwarves may be a lot of fun, but they look for the logical answers and tend to think before they act. But then again I do the same thing upon occasion."

"Only upon occasion?" Kili asked with a hint of flirtatiousness in his voice. Ember rolled her eyes.

"I most of the time act then ask questions. Especially if the situation is a life or death kind of thing. Or someone I care about could get hurt."

"Such as when you pushed me out of the way during the battle of the stone giants?"

"You noticed that? Hm, I didn't think you would ever notice that."

"Yeah, I noticed and I felt like I owed you for that, you got hurt because of my lack of common sense. I should have moved."

"But I'm glad I got to push you, because that counts for the times I saved your life."

"You're counting?"

"Of course. I'll use it as leverage when this is all over."

"And what if I save you more times?"

"Not likely love, not likely." She pecked his lips before standing up.

"Where are you going?" He asked her as she held out her hands to him.

"Back to the company, where else?" He took her soft hands and he then stood up.

"Are you sure you're ready to go back to Thorin?"'

"I'm a big girl I can handle myself. Plus, I had my moment of peace. I'll be fine, trust me. It takes much more than being called a monster to push me over the edge."

"OK, whatever you say." Kili rolled his eyes.

"What? You don't trust that I'll be OK?"

"No I trust your judgement. I just worry about you, a lot."

"Well don't, please. I don't need you… getting hurt."

"What do you mean get hurt?" He asked as they walked through the woods. Ember stopped walking.

"I don't plan on sticking around after this is all over. Or is Demisrie shows up. If it means saving you, I'm gone. And I doubt something will be able to stop me." She turned leaving him behind.

"Why does she always have to be difficult?" Kili turned to follow her, but something stopped him, the air turned cold, cold enough where Kili could see his breath. He heard twigs snap around him, almost as if someone were walking on them.

"Who's there?" Kili asked as he took out a knife.

"There is no need for violence. I am a friend not an enemy." A man's voice spoke to Kili.

"If you're not here to hurt me show yourself." Two figures appeared from behind two trees, Kili was unable to see their faces.

"It's alright Kili, son of Dis. We are friends of the one you call Emilia. I am Aros." A woman pulled back her hood so Kili could see her blonde ringlets fall past her shoulders. She had bright blue eyes, brighter than Thorin's, and a smile.

"I am Caio." The other pulled back his hood revealing black hair that came to about his shoulders and dark green eyes. Ember spoke so highly of them and Kili felt it right to trust them.

"How can I serve thee, upon Emilia's behalf?"

"There is no need to serve us young master Dwarf, we are here to give you some… assistance. Demisrie was furious upon the hearing of the Great Goblin's death, and that Emilia was there. He has not quite figured out what we had done to aid Emilia, but I fear he is close to doing so. He wants only her, and nothing can stop him from getting her, trust me when we say this, we've already tried. He is set on having her power for his own." Aros spoke with kindness.

"How did you help her?"

"When we helped her escape we hid her from Demisrie's sight, strictly so he could not find her, ever. The spell we used was strong. But if Demisrie finds out what we did, his counter spell will be stronger. We fear for her life. If Demisrie finds her, you have to protect her, with your life. Because if Demisrie takes a grasp to her gift, Middle Earth will be beyond saving. You cannot let that happen." Caio said, and Kili nodded he felt so much pressure put on his shoulders.

"I know this will seem like a lot young dwarf, but for her sake and safety. If Demisrie gets her she will die then all of Middle Earth will die, do you understand?"

"Yes I understand."

"Good, now Demisrie has probably noticed our absence so we best be leaving. But if you ever need help in the darkest of situations take this." Aros placed a small turquoise gem in the palm of Kili's hand, it glowed in his palm.

"What is it?"

"Possibly the one thing that could save the girl you love." Aros said with a smile before disappearing in a flash of white light.

"Protect her, please. She is all we have left." Caio said before disappearing in a flash of blue.

Kili sunk to his knees as he held the small gem in his palm, he held it close to his chest. There were so many questions he wanted answered, such as what the little gem was. But all he was able to do was breathe, breathe and wonder.


	11. Chapter 11 Beorn and entering Mirkwood

Kili slowly made his way back to the company.

"There he is. I already told you I never hurt him." Emilia said to Thorin.

Kili sat down next to her.

"What happened to you? Thorin was about to have my head because he said I'd killed you." Emilia asked.

"I needed a breath of fresh air, a moment to clear my mind."

Emilia let out a sigh and then she laid back on the ground wearily.

"You alright?" Fili asked when she began to shiver.

"Yeah, um, I'll be fine." She replied shakily.

"Liar, what's wrong?" Fili pestered.

"Just a bit cold that's all." Emilia answered before sitting up and wrapping her coat around her.

"Thee fire elemental cold, how is that possible?" Thorin asked harshly as he moved by.

"Why do you hate me?" Emilia coldly asked without looking at him.

"I hold a grudge against your kind, not you specifically. I have seen your people rip apart lives, homes, families leaving thousands dead in their wake."

"How long ago was that might I ask? Because the last time the Elementals rose to power was hundreds of years ago, long before you were born. My family never had the gift at that time. So please, the only one who still has their power from the last uprising was…" She trailed off.

"Demisrie." Kili answered sadly.

"Yes. Now Thorin, if you wish to speak ill of me, please do it to my face, unlike you do now, which is behind my back."

Thorin stared at her when she looked at him, there was something he had never seen in the assassin's eyes, fear and sorrow. She quickly turned away from him pulling her black hair over her shoulder.

Bilba stood up grabbing Thorin's arm, dragging him away.

"Why?" She asked when they were alone.

"Why what?"

"Why be so harsh on her, she's just a child. A scared fearful child. She has been through much, much more than she is willing to let on."

"I'm scared for my company. She's dangerous."

"You don't know that Thorin. She wants nothing more than to protect you and your kin throughout your journey. And yet you shun her away like she is nothing."

Thorin looked away at the truth of the hobbit's words.

"She's not like the rest. Thorin, she's not here to hurt you. Trust her, please, for me." Bilba pleaded, her blue eyes boring into his. She lightly touched his face. He melted into her touch.

"Just try for me."

"Alright, for you. But, of she hurts any of my company she's gone."

Bilba hesitated for a moment.

"Thank you." She whispered.

* * *

Back at the camp, Kili played with Emilia's hair frantically.

"Kili, why are you nervous?" Emilia asked.

"I'm not nervous." Kili replied, dazed.

"Bullshit, you play with my hair when you're nervous. And frankly I'm wondering how my hair is still attached to my head at this point."

Kili gently rested the long lock of blue black hair back onto it's place.

"I'm sorry. They've just been gone for a while, Bilba and Thorin. I'm just worried."

"Let them be, they're adults, they're don't need our watch Kili. They're fine." Emilia absentmindedly answered.

"That's not what I'm worried about. They're talking about you."

"And Bilba has my back. If anyone can talk to Thorin it's her."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive…" Emilia paused and whispered to herself, "I hope."

"I heard that." Kili retorted.

"Of course you did." Emilia replied sarcastically.

Kili began to think if he should reveal to Emilia about Caio and Aros, but he began to doubt it. Putting the thought away in his mind he looked at Emilia again as she braided her hair, pulling it over her left shoulder. She slightly smiled to herself thinking happily.

Kili leaned and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Why are you so happy at the moment?"

"Just thinking," she replied before turning to look at him.

"About what?"

"How I wouldn't want to be anywhere but here. I was just thinking, what if Gandalf hadn't come to if he had never asked for my aid? Where would I be?"

Kili sat there staring into her ink black eyes, unable to answer her drilling questions.

"It was more of a rhetorical question than literal you don't have to answer." She said plainly.

Emilia looked up and smiled when Balin walked over to them.

"Lad, can I talk with her alone for a moment?" Balin asked.

Kili nodded, stood up, smiled at both Balin and Emilia, and then he walked away.

"Hello, Balin."

"Hello lassie, I came with questions."

"Of course, I'll try my best to answer." She answered before Balin slowly sat down in front of her.

"What is the extent of your power?"

"You saw it months ago. Well, that's as much as I've conjured. Gandalf is still not sure of the extent of my gift."

"I see. I just wanted to tell you lassie, I never thought you were a monster."

"Thank you Balin. I'm sorry about that. I was just upset."

"You have the right to be upset, Thorin should have never judged you so quickly."

"It's alright Balin, it's not the first time. But still thank you."

"Of course lass. I also wanted to say thank you to you."

"Me? Why?"

"I've never seen the lads so happy unless they're around you." Balin pointed to Kili and Fili who were laughing along with the rest of the dwarves. Emilia felt herself smile.

"And I've never seen you happier." Balin quietly said in return.

She looked into Balin's kind eyes.

But the moment was broken by the loud terrifying sound of warg howls.

They warg howls sounded far away, but Emilia knew the cost of taking risks.

She looked around, the dwarves were frantically packing their things.

Gandalf stared at her.

"How far off do they sound?" He asked after rushing over to her.

"Far, far enough where we could get a headstart on them, but you and I both know the risks of waiting."

Gandalf nodded to her.

"Get them out of here, I'll follow closely."

She sent him a suspicious look before noticing something.

"Where's Thorin and Bilba?" She asked frantically looking around her.

At that moment Thorin and Bilba were rushing through the woods after hearing the howl.

They came to the clearing to see everyone packing up.

"There they are." Gandalf said. Emilia let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"Put out the damned fire." Dwalin commanded.

"I got it." Emilia said before silencing the flames with a flick of the wrists.

"Amazing." Kili glowed.

"Not the time." She retorted, swinging her cloak over her shoulders.

Kili snapped into gear.

"Alright, everyone. Follow Emilia. I'll be on your tail." Gandalf commanded.

Emilia nodded as she armed her bow.

* * *

Bilba and Emilia peeked over some rocks on a high ledge and watched Azog and his Warg Scouts running along a ridgeline not far away, occasionally stopping to smell the air in their pursuit of them. Not finding anything, they continued on their way.

Suddenly, Emilia heard a snarl from the side, and ducked behind the rocks.

"Stay down," Emilia commanded. Bilba fearfully nodded.

She peeked out and saw a large bear watching Azog from another pile of rocks, snarling softly.

Bilba peeked her head up too.

"Come on, we have to go. Now."

Bilba nodded before following Emilia.

They stopped in their tracks as the bear roared.

Their pace quickened as they dodged rocks, making their way back to the Company.

Bilba and Emilia had made their way down the rocks to where the dwarves and Gandalf are waiting to hear their spy report.

"How close is the pack?" Dwalin asked.

"Too close." Bilba started.

"A couple of leagues, no more, but that is not the worst of it." Emilia finished, her hands on her knees, breathing heavily.

"Have the Wargs picked up our scent?"

"Not yet, but they will; we have another problem." Bilba said.

"Did they see you? They saw you!" Gandalf exclaimed.

"No, that's not it." Bilba tried.

"Do you seriously think they'd see us. Really? Such little faith." She smirked slightly at Gandalf.

Gandalf smiled and turned to the dwarves.

"What did I tell you? Quiet as mice. Excellent burglar and warrior material."

The dwarves chuckled loudly in appreciation of the girls. Bilba looks exasperated that no one is hearing her out. Emilia felt the same way remembering what else was wrong.

"Will you listen- Will you just listen? I'm trying to tell you there is _something else_ out there." Bilba snapped.

"Someone had to say it." Emilia said as she pulled her hair out of the way to put on her cloak.

The dwarves look worried.

"What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf asked.

"How did you…" Emilia gazed suspiciously at Gandalf.

"Ye..."

Bilba paused and looked curiously at Gandalf.

"Y- yes. But bigger, much bigger." Bilba stated.

"You knew about this beast?" Bofur asked.

"Did you," Kili asked Emilia. The rest of the company but Gandalf looked at her.

"First time, I'm hearing about this… Don't look at me."

Gandalf turned and walked a few steps away.

"I say we double back." Bofur stated.

"And be run down by a pack of Orcs." Thorin said.

"I agree, they'll catch us before we even get a chance." Emilia said. It gained her a slight beam from Thorin.

"There is a house, it's not far from here, where we might take refuge."

"Whose house? Are they friend or foe?" Thorin asked.

Emilia raised one eyebrow slyly as a smirk crossed her face.

"Neither. He will help us, or he will kill us."

"Not again… What's with you and neutral parties?" Emilia questioned before rolling her eyes.

The dwarves looked at each other in dismay.

"What choice do we have?"

A roar split the night behind them; it was the bear.

"None."

"We're following you this time Gandalf." Emilia said.

* * *

The company was running through plains and across streams.

"Come on!"

"Go I'll stay in back." Emilia called.

The entire company stopped as the roar sounded through the woods.

"This way, quickly!" Gandalf yelled.

As the dwarves panicked and ran, Bombur looked on in shock until he is pulled along by his long red beard.

"Bombur, come on!" Emilia yelled.

As they exited the forest, they spied a house surrounded by a hedge in the middle of a plain.

"To the house! Run!" Gandalf yelled before quickly moving toward Emilia.

The Company ran across the plain; Bombur, the fattest dwarf, outran all the rest of them in his fear. Emilia was happily shocked by his burst of adrenaline.

They ran through a gate in the hedge.

"Come on, get inside!"

"Hurry up!" Emilia called after the dwarves.

They ran to the front door of the house; it was closed, locked. Bombur, who reached the door first, threw himself against it but fell flat on his back when the door doesn't budge. The rest of the dwarves caught up and began throwing themselves against the door, trying to open it. Gandalf and Emilia look back as a massive bear broke out from the edge of the forest and ran toward them. Upon instinct Emilia armed her bow.

"Whatever you do. Do not shoot the bear." Gandalf warned.

"Open the damn door!" Emilia yelled.

"Quickly!"

Thorin, pushing through the dwarves pressed against the door, managed to raise the exterior bolt, opening the doors. The entire company bolted inside the house and they tried to slam the door shut, but the bear had already gotten its head in the door. As the bear roared and tries to push the door open, the dwarves yelled and strained to close it. Bilba pulled out her sword and pointed it unsteadily at the bear.

Gandalf looked on in apparent amusement, Emilia took note of his happiness. The dwarves yelled as they pressed against the door.

"Why is this making you so happy? We're going to get ourselves killed."

"Not in the slightest chance."

"Of course." Emilia sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Come on, lads!" Dwalin yelled.

With a final heave, the dwarves managed to close the door and drop the bolt across it. They sighed in shock, fear, and tiredness.

"What _is_ that?" Ori asked.

"That...is our host."

"Oh, by the Valar, no." Emilia replied running one hand through her hair. Kili grabbed her other which caused her to smirk happily.

The dwarves and Bilba turned to Gandalf in bewilderment.

"His name is Beorn, and he is a skin-changer."

"That's not as bad." Emilia breathed quietly. Kili looked at her confused.

"Not now, I'll explain later." He nodded.

Oin checked his hearing trumpet to make sure he has heard Gandalf correctly only to find it smashed.

"Sometimes he's a huge black bear; sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not overfond of dwarves."

The dwarves looked at each other in dismay. Ori peaked out a crack in the door.

"He's leaving!"

Dori pulled him away from the door.

"Come away from there! It's not natural, none of it. It's obvious: he's under some dark spell." Dori exclaimed.

"Don't be a fool; he's under no enchantment but his own. Alright now, get some sleep, all of you. You'll be safe here tonight." Gandalf called.

"You sure about that?" Emilia asked, raising her eyebrow.

The dwarves started spreading out through the house. Gandalf whispered quietly to himself and Emilia.

"I hope."

"That's what I thought." Emilia said before moving toward some of the hay in the barn area of the house. She lightly set her stuff down.

"Are you nervous?" Kili asked as he sat next to her, setting his stuff down with hers.

"Pleasantly."

"Pleasantly nervous? How so?"

"I trust Gandalf, a lot. Being content now I'm alright, but I am still definitely nervous at that creature out there."

* * *

Emilia woke up next to Kili who was holding her tight. She breathed in deeply before smiling.

She slightly moved so she escaped Kili's strong yet comforting grasp.

But she froze when she saw the door open and close.

"Morn-" Kili began.

"Sh, say nothing." Emilia warned. Kili stared at the figure entering the home.

"Is that?"

"I'm guessing Beorn. So stay quiet." Kili simply nodded.

Beorn poured milk from a pitcher into Fili's cup. He was much taller than any human, even taller than Gandalf. Beorn addressed Thorin.

Emilia fingered around the glass distractedly as she listened.

"So you are the one they call Oakenshield. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?" The skin changer asked.

"You know of Azog? How?" Thorin responded.

"My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the north. The Defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved."

Bilba and Emilia saw the remnants of manacles on Beorn's wrist. Emilia felt pain for the man, for she knew the pain of being forced.

Kili saw the pain in her eyes, and she felt his hand land softly on her thigh. She softly and kindly smiled.

"Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him."

"There are others like you?" Bilba asked.

"Once, there were many." Beorn answered.

"And now?"

"Now, there is only one."

Emilia heard herself sigh out of grief.

The dwarves, Bilba, Emilia, and Gandalf looked on in silence.

"You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?" Beorn asked.

"Before Durin's Day falls, yes." Gandalf answered.

"You are running out of time."

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood."

"A darkness lies upon that forest. Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need."

"We will take the Elven Road. That path is still safe."

"Safe? The Wood-Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not."

"What do you mean?" Thorin asked.

"These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive."

Thorin looked shocked. Beorn stood up from the table and faced Thorin.

"I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own."

Beorn picked up a mouse that had been scampering on the table and held it, all the while approaching Thorin. who was standing with his arms crossed.

"But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?"

"Ponies," Gandalf answered.

"A bath would be nice." Dwalin answered.

"Of which I can get you both. There is a river nearby."

The dwarves began to hop off of the tall chairs.

"I doubt you ladies would like to bathe with them." Beorn said to Emilia and Bilba, who modestly nodded.

"I'll set up two wash basins upstairs."

"Beorn, thank you, I know this wasn't a pleasant surprise. But still thank you." Emilia stated.

"I'm only guessing, but you passed were dragged into this." Beorn said with a chuckle.

"It's been prosperous," Bilba replied before looking at Thorin.

Emilia smiled at Kili who was playfully shoving his brother.

"You both found things that are worth much more to you than you're promised." Beorn inquired.

"I guess you can say that." Emilia replied with a smile.

* * *

The Company saddled and rode Beorn's ponies. As they rode away, Beorn, who was staying at his house, looked around for danger.

"Go now, while you have the light. The hunters are not far behind." Beorn commanded.

The company rode rapidly across the land, slowing to a stop as they approached a looming, gloomy-looking forest. Gandalf dismounted and walked into the edge of the forest through an ancient archway. Emilia stood watching the plain. Kili stood next to her.

"Are you nervous?" She asked.

"Are you?" He questioned.

She only nodded.

"Here lies our path through Mirkwood." Gandalf called.

"No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side." Dwalin cheered.

"Luck is not what we need. What we need is time and possibly strength." Emilia called

The unladen ponies trotted away; Nori was just about to finish unsaddling Gandalf's horse when Gandalf emerged from the forest.

"Not my horse! I need it." He called mailing Emilia spin around on her heel.

As Gandalf strided forward, the Company looked up and murmured in surprise.

"You're not leaving us?" Bilba asked sadly.

"I would not do this unless I had to." Gandalf responded.

Gandalf looked at Thorin, then turned and looked at a dejected Bilba.

"You've changed, Bilba Baggins. You're not the same Hobbit as the one who left the Shire."

"I was going to tell you; I...found something in the Goblin tunnels."

"Found what?"

Gandalf leaned forward curiously and suspiciously; Bilba didn't answer immediately, but she fumbled with the ring in her pocket.

"What did you find?"

Bilba stayed silent for several more seconds, then finally responded.

"My courage."

She removed her hand from her pocket.

"Good. Well, that's good. You'll need it."

"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me." Gandalf stared right at Emilia. Sh turned and crossed her arms.

"This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray."

"Lead us astray? What does that mean?" Bilba asked Emilia.

"No idea."

"You must stay on the path; do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again." Gandalf said as rain began to lightly pour.

Gandalf wheeled his horse and rode away.

"No matter what may come, stay on the path!" Gandalf called.


	12. Chapter 12: Mirkwood Spiders

**Wow, almost 3000 veiws. I feel so loved right now. I forgot how much I loved this life and seeing y'all reaction to this makes me love it even more.**

 **I promise I'm going to update sooner but I'm not sure if I can keep that promise.**

 **More chapters soon.**

 **XOXO**

* * *

They all turned toward the forest.

"Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day." Thorin commanded.

Bilba looked into Emilia's nervous eyes.

"Durin's Day. Let's go!" Dwalin jeered.

"This is our one chance to find the hidden door." Thorin called.

The Company entered Mirkwood wearily. They were following the paved path that started at the Elven Gate. Thorin lead and Emilia and Kili took up the back.

At one point, the path turned a sharp corner.

"The path goes this way." Thorin called.

As the dwarves, Emilia, and Bilba kept following the path through the forest, it twisted and turned over all sorts of terrain such as bare ground, high ledges, fallen tree trunks, and more. The color palette of the woods was blue/gray, and very gloomy. Dwalin thumped the handle of his hammer on the ground to find the paving stones of the trail.

"Please don't let us get lost." Emilia pleaded to herself.

"This way." Dwalin yelled.

"Air. I need air." Bofur complained.

"You alright?" Kili asked.

Emilia shook her head, her heart was pounding in her chest, her head was spinning, her breathing was ragged, and nausea was creeping into her body.

"I'll be fine." She answered.

"If you need to, you know where to lean."

She flashed him a pained smirk.

"My head, it's spinning." Oin complained.

The dwarves suddenly ran into each other as Nori, in front, stops abruptly.

Emilia took the opportunity to take a breath, she rested her hands on her knees.

"What's happening?" Fili asked.

"Keep moving. Nori, why have we stopped?" Thorin asked as he pushed through the crowd.

"The path...it's disappeared!" Nori responded.

"What's going on?" Dwalin asked.

"We've lost the path!" Oin called.

"What?!" Emilia asked, not hearing it completely.

"The path… it's gone." Biba replied as she stood shocked.

The company was standing in front of a steep cliff, and there was no path ahead of them.

"Find it. All of you look. Look for the path!" Thorin commanded.

The Company wandered through the forest. The forest was beginning to affect them mentally, and they staggered about.

After what felt like days of looking Emilia rested her sore body on a large tree root. She listened to the rest of the company yell to each other in a failed effort to find the path.

"I don't remember this place before. None of it's familiar." Balin yelled.

"It's got to be here." Someone retorted.

"What hour is it?" Thorin called.

"I do not know. I don't even know what day it is." Dwalin retorted.

"Is there no end to this accursed place?" Thorin practically screamed.

Kili sat next to Emilia.

"They're going crazy." Emilia said.

"The forest is making us all crazy." Kili replied calmly.

A ringing blasted in Emilia's ears. An ear splitting ringing. It started out small, but it grew louder and louder until it was almost impossible to bear. She pressed her hands to her ears.

"Emilia? Hey, look at me." Kili said trying to calm her down.

Emilia tried to do anything to calm herself but then all she remembered was blacking out.

* * *

 _She stood looking out at a bloodied battlefield, corpses of men, dwarves, elves, and orcs alike littered the ground._

 _Something wasn't right, nothing seemed to fit._

 _She gasped at the sight of Fili's body, three arrows stuck out of his body. Tears fell down her face._

 _Emilia spun around to see anything familiar, anyone familiar, but nothing came out in her mind._

 _Something called her attention, a yell, a voice that called her name, a voice that belonged to a familiar voice._

" _Kili!" She exclaimed before running toward the sound._

 _As she ran she almost tripped on the long flowing white gown she wore, one she had never seen before. But she picked up the hem and she continued running. Running yet her feet never touched the bloody ground._

 _She finally reached a series of ruin towers, orc bodies littered the ground._

 _She heard herself scream as she saw the fearful sight. Demisrie stood in front of Kili sword in hand. Kili's weapon was away from him._

" _You took her away from me. She was never yours to take." Demisrie yelled._

" _She was never yours to give. She was her own yet you took her away from the world, away from me. Her life was never yours to take. Emilia should have never died at your hands!" Kili almost screamed back._

 _Emilia covered her mouth and she began to cry, she was dead. Dead at the hands of Demisrie._

 _Demisrie's anger boiled over, the sword in his hand burst into flames before he plunged it into Kili's torso._

" _Thievery deserves mutiny." Demisrie taunted._

 _Emilia watched as the light faded from Kili's eyes, and his heart stopped. Emilia felt herself fall._

* * *

She sprung up breathing rapidly. The memory replayed in her mind.

"Hey, you're alright. I got you." Kili calmed.

"What happened?" She asked as she pressed her fingers into her temple.

"You went unconscious." Kili began.

"You were out for a little while." Fili finished.

"What happened, you're pale. Are you alright?" Kili asked as he helped her sit up.

"Just a... " She trailed off, not knowing how to explain her dream.

"Just a what?" Fili asked.

"Nothing, it was nothing. What about the path have any of you found it yet?"

"No one has found it yet, and it's driving everyone insane." Fili answered.

"Alright, then let's find the path."

"You're not well enough to do so. Just sit for a little while."

"Kee, I'll be fine. If I sit here and do nothing, I'll just get worse."

Kili nodded and he helped her stand. All the other dwarves had moved into a small cluster.

They all were muttering and rambling as they wandered about.

Bilba absentmindedly plucked a spiderweb; it vibrated, and the vibrations continued through the various linked spiderwebs and far off into the forest. Bilba plucked the web again. She heard a strange whispering noise.

They continued walking; Bilba looked down and saw herself walking backward, although it's actually just an illusion.

Ori leaned down and picked up a tobacco pouch. Dori then took it from him.

"Look." Ori said, dazed.

"A tobacco pouch. There's dwarves in these woods."

"Dwarves from the Blue Mountains, no less. This is exactly the same as mine." Bofur sad as he took the pouch.

"Because it _is_ yours. You understand?" Bilba retorted.

"We're going round in circles. We are lost." Emilia said running her hands through her hair.

"We're not lost. We keep heading east." Dwalin contradicted.

"But which way is east? We've lost the sun."

The dwarves had started fighting and pushing each other around. Emilia broke up a fight between Kili, Fili, and Ori.

"Stop it, all of you." She commanded, but it came to no prevail.

Thorin stood apart, listening. He heard the strange whispering sound that Bilba heard earlier and muttered to himself.

"What? What's that?" Thorin asked.

The whispering continued; Thorin turned and yelled at the dwarves.

"Enough! Quiet! All of you! We're being watched."

"We have to find the sun." Emilia stated.

"Good, you take Bilba, find the sun and report back to us." Thorin commanded before looking at Bilba.

"Okay," Emilia assured herself before looking at her friend, "You ready?"

"Sure why not?"

Bilba climbed up one of the trees nearby with Emilia following close by; as they crawled, they made no notice to the masses of spiderwebs all around them. Bilba's head broke through the trees and into the air, then Emilia's did; suddenly, it was as if a spell had been broken, and Bilba and Emilia's head cleared. As Emilia breathed deeply, she saw blue butterflies flying all around them. The sun was setting, and everything looked beautiful. Bilba and Emilia smiled and laughed.

They then looked off into the distance and saw several landmarks. Bilba called down loudly to the dwarves below.

"I- I can see a lake! And a river. And the Lonely Mountain. We're almost there!"

There was no reply from the dwarves.

"Can you hear me? I know which way to go! Hello?"

Bilba looks down, trying to see the dwarves.

Emilia noticed something moving in the distance.

"Um… Bilba, take a look at that."

She heard a thumping noise in the distance and looked up.

"Hello?" Bilba asked.

In the distance, trees moved haphazardly under the weight of something approaching. The movement was coming straight toward Bilba, Emilia, and the dwarves.

Worriedly, Bilba and Emilia climbed down a bit and peered around.

Bilba stepped forward, only to trip over a spiderweb and fall several feet, bouncing painfully off branches, and yelling in pain and shock the entire time.

Emilia yelled her friend's name before seeing a creature, a giant spider, appearing in front of her. It opened its fangs and hissed at her causing her to fall back into a web.

* * *

All of the dwarves had also been captured by giant spiders; the spiders had hung them upside down from tree branches.

Emilia woke up to a spider dragging her to the others, but they were far enough where the other spiders were not paying attention.

Emilia's eyesight was blurred, a side effect of the poison, but her mind was as sharp as it normally was. The spider that dragged her was smaller than the rest, most likely a juvenile. Emilia waited until the creature moved on top of her, and at that moment she struck, shooting two small coils of fire that wrapped around it's legs and under its bony plates. The spider let out a screeching hiss before it fell off of the branch landing hard on the ground below.

Brushing off the sticky restraints off of her body Emilia saw Bilba stab one of the spiders before moving toward Emilia.

"We have to get them out of there." Emilia stated.

Bilba nodded before speaking, "You stay until I distract them, the get the dwarves."

"How are you going to distract them?"

"They cannot attack what they cannot see."

Emilia stared at her confused. Bilba slipped a ring on and disappeared.

"Ok, guess I'll just wait." Emilia said to herself.

The spiders surrounded one wrapped dwarf, Fili; he kicked, but he couldn't do much when wrapped up so tightly.

Emilia watched as a twig through itself into the forest, Bilba's doing. The spiders began to follow the sound giving Emilia a chance to move. But something stopped her. One spider had stayed behind and prepared to eat a wrapped and squirming Bombur.

The spider dropped Bombur to the tree trunk and prepared to eat him. An invisibe Bilba snuck up and struck it on its rear with his sword. The spider spun around and hissed, but Bilba is invisible to it. Bilba kept slicing at it, slicing away a leg and part of its head.

Bilba pulled off her ring, revealing herself to the spider and Emilia. She gave a twisted smile before she spoke.

"Here!"

Bilba thrust her sword directly into the spider's head.

Bilba pulled out her sword and the spider, dead, crashed to the ground. Bilba looked at her sword in admiration. Emilia began to move toward Bilba.

"Sting. That's a good name."

"No time to gush over your sword, come on."

Bilba used Sting to cut down all the dwarves, while Emilia slightly burned one of the sik strings letting the other one help the fall.

Emilia helped Kili last, using his restraint as a way down to the floor.

The others landed on the forest floor and they proceeded to rip off their wrappings, cursing and yelling the entire time.

"Everyone alright?" Emilia asked as she helped some of the dwarves stand.

"Where's Bilba?" Bofur exclaimed as he shot up.

"I'm up here!" Bilba called from one of the higher tree branches.

Just then, a spider jumped at Bilba from underneath the branch she was standing on, and it pinned her underneath it. However, she managed to put her sword in front of her just in time, stabbing the spider through the belly. As the spider fell off the branch, Bilba, entangled in its legs, fell with it.

"BILBA!" Emilia screamed. But then more spiders began to crawl toward the dwarves and Emilia. They all brought out their weapons.

They fought against the spiders with their various weapons.

Bombur was knocked to the floor by a spider, and it stood over him to bite him.

"Grab a leg!" Dwalin yelled.

The other dwarves grabbed each of the spider's legs.

"Pull!"

The dwarves pulled at the spider's legs, and they managed to pull its legs right off its body. The dismembered body of the spider landed on Bombur.

The dwarves cheered in their victory, but the celebration was short lived as kore spiders began to crawl.

The dwarves were still fighting the spiders. A spider managed to grab Kili.

"Kili!" Fili yelled, which gained Emilia's attention. She moved to run after him, but an arrow almost hit her making her freeze in her tracks.

Thorin raised his sword in preparation to fight more spiders, but paused and looked up. A blonde Elf, ran through the treetops, then swung down a spider's silk in order to land on it and kill it. He slid on the forest floor under the spider facing Thorin, slicing it in half, and came up kneeling with an arrow nocked in his bow and pointed at Thorin. Several other Mirkwood elves appeared, drawing arrows and pointing them at the dwarves.

"Do not think I won't kill you, dwarf. It would be my pleasure."

Emilia stared into the eyes of the elf that stopped her.

"Help!" Kili yelled in the distance.

"Kili!" Fili yelled. Emilia sprung into action, knocking the bow away from the elf and running after Kili's voice. She darted through the trees, jumping from large root to large root. More spiders began to pour from the trees. Using her flames like arrows, they shot out of her hands, killing spiders left and right. With one last jump she landed on the spider, jamming her long dagger into its head. The thing died, freeing Kili from its grasp. Three more spiders came out of nowhere, Emilia shot them down in a fiery blaze.

Kili looked on in amazement.

But their moment was ruined by Elves. Three male elves grabbed Emilia and she tried her hardest to fight them, until one of the raised a dagger to her throat. The look on Kili's face caused her to freeze solid.

* * *

"Search them." The lead elf, Legolas commanded.

Legolas began to search Emilia, but the first thing he did was pull back some of her hair.

"What is a she-elf doing with a band of dwarves?"

Emilia froze staring at Kili, her eyes gazed over to Thorin, who looked furious and betrayed.

"And is that any of your business? I didn't think so."

"Someone search her." Legolas commanded. A female red-head elf came over and began to search Emilia, which made her feel slightly more comfortable. THe elf took away several knives, her bow, and her arrows.

"Why does one have so many weapons?" She asked harshly.

"You can never be too careful in this world can you?" Emilia retorted with a smirk, knowing her most prized weapon was still safe.

The elves approached the dwarves and started searching them. An elf confiscated two of Fili's knives. Legolas pulled a picture frame with two pictures out of Gloin's pocket.

Emilia shot an apologetic look toward Thorin who glanced away harshly.

"Hey! Give it back! That's private!" Gloin protested.

Legolas looked at a picture of a dwarf.

"Who is this? Your brother?"

"That is my wife!"

Legolas looked at the other picture, which is of a dwarf child.

"And what is this horrid creature? A goblin mutant?"

"That's my wee lad, Gimli."

Legolas raised his eyebrow at Gloin in contempt.

Meanwhile, the elf searching Fili found even more knives all around his person. Fili sighed when the elf finds even some in a secret hidden pocket.]

"Gyrth in yngyl bain?" [Translation: Are the spiders dead?] Legolas asked Tauriel, the female elf.

"Ennorner gwanod in yngyl na nyryn. Engain nar." [Translation: Yes, but more will come. They're growing bolder.] Tauriel replied.

Fili opened his jacket to show the elf searching him that he had no knives left; however, the elf found another one hidden in Fili's hood.

An elf handed Legolas Thorin's sword, Orcrist, and he inspected it.

"Echannen i vegil hen vin Gondolin. Magannen nan Gelydh." [Translation: This is an ancient Elvish blade. Forged by my kin.]

"Where did you get this?" He addressed Thorin.

"It was given to me." Thorin answered harshly.

Legolas pointed the sword at Thorin.

"Not just a thief, but a liar as well."

"Enwenno hain!" [Translation: Take them!]

The elves began to lead the dwarves away. As they began to walk, Bofur turned and whispered to Thorin.

"Thorin, where's Bilba?"

Thorin looked around, but saw no sign of Bilba.

Thorin then looked at Emilia, whose face was purely white as she saw the Elven Kingdom, a place she wished never to see.

The dwarves were led over a bridge and into the Woodland Realm. After they passed through, Legolas addressed the guards of the gate.

"Holo in ennyn." [Translation: Close the gate.]

Bilba, invisible, was running along the bridge and toward the gate. Legolas turned, sensing something, and looked down the bridge. Seeing nothing after a few seconds, he turned and walks through the gates as they closed. Bilba, unseen, slipped through the gates before they closed.

The dwarves were led through the raised wooden walkways of the Woodland Realm. The entire place was built out of tree roots in a subterranean cavern. Emilia saw the King of Mirkwood, Thranduil, Legolas's father, sitting on his throne. He stared at her for a moment before she turned away.

* * *

The dwarves and Emilia were pushed, protesting, into several cells.

"This is not the end of it! You hear me?" Dwalin yelled.

Emilia sunk down in her cell, tears began to stream down her face, making a pool on the floor. She then looked out the door to see Tauriel pushing Kili into a cell across from her.

Legolas and Kili glared at each other.

Dwalin and several other dwarves threw themselves against their cell doors, grunting in their effort. Balin finally yelled at them.

"Leave it! There's no way out. This is no Orc dungeon; these are the halls of the Woodland Realm. No one leaves here but by the king's consent."

" _Are you alright?"_ Kili mouthed to Emilia. She brushed away some of the tears.

She shook her head.

" _I never wanted to see this place as long as I lived."_

" _Why?"_

" _My mother was from the woodland realm. This is where she ran away from all those years ago."_

* * *

Meanwhile, Thorin had been brought before King Thranduil, and Thranduil addressed him.

"Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand. A quest to reclaim a homeland and slay a dragon. I myself suspect a more prosaic motive: attempted burglary, or something of that ilk."

Thranduil looked closely at Thorin.

"You have found a way in. You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule: the King's Jewel, the Arkenstone. It is precious to you beyond measure. I understand that. There are gems in the mountain that I too desire. White gems of pure starlight. I offer you my help."

"I am listening."

"I will let you go, if you but return what is mine."

Thorin turned and slowly started walking away.

"A favor for a favor."

"You have my word. One king to another."

Thorin stopped walking. Still facing away from Thranduil, he spoke. His voice got louder and louder as he spoke.

"I would not trust Thranduil, the great king, to honor his word should the end of all days be upon us!"

Thorin spun around and pointed at Thranduil. He was now shouting.

"You lack all honor! I've seen how you treat your friends. We came to you once, starving, homeless, seeking your help, but you turned your back. You turned away from the suffering of my people and the inferno that destroyed us! Imrid amrad ursul!" [Translation: Die a death of flames!]

Thranduil leaped down from his throne and put his face right in front of Thorin's.

"Do not talk to me of dragon fire. I know its wrath and ruin. I have faced the great serpents of the north."

As Thranduil spoke, his face contorted, and Thorin saw his face covered with what appeared to be burns and scars from his past encounters with dragons. His left eye was milky and unseeing. He drew away, and his face returned to normal.]

"I warned your grandfather of what his greed would summon, but he would not listen."

Thranduil turned and walked up the steps to his throne.

"You are just like him."

Thranduil motioned, and guards grabbed Thorin and hauled him toward the dungeons.

"Stay here if you will, and rot. A hundred years is a mere blink in the life of an elf. I am patient. I can wait. And when you come back, bring me the she elf, I have a deal to make. And be careful with her I hear she has a _fiery_ spirit."

Thorin noticed a shadow looming around. He stared as the dark man removed his hood.

Demisrie smiled evilly at Thorin. Thorin simply stood there, shocked. He may have been angry at Emilia for lying about being an elf, but she was still part of the company.

* * *

Thorin was thrown into a cell beside the other dwarves, and his jailer walked away with a ring of jangling keys.

"Did he offer you a deal?"

"He did. I told him he could go 'Ish kakhfê ai'd dur rugnu!' him and all his kin!"

Hearing this, Balin closed his eyes and sighed wearily in frustration.

"Well...that's it, then. A deal was our only hope."

"Not our only hope." Thorin said.

Kili stared as the guard chained Emilia and dragged her out of her cell. He practically threw himself against the cell door.

The guard practically shoved her onto the platform where the throne was.

"Why is a former Ithil member, a she-elf, traveling with a company of dwarves destined to fail?"

"Does it matter? To you I am nothing. To you I am worth nothing."

"Oh, but there you are wrong. Your life is now worth my son's life. You life holds the future of my line."

She stared at him confused, all before realizing what the King had done.

"You traded my life for your son's." She breathed.

"You must understand I had no choice."

"No I understand, completely. He is your son. But tell me one thing… Why did my mother hate the Woodland Realm so much?"

"Your mother?" The king stopped confused.

"That is of no importance to her." A voice said behind Emilia. It made her go completely pale.

"No," she gasped as tears fell.

"Oh yes darling. It's been a while." Demisrie turned to the king, "Your son is safe, thank you for my prize." He grabbed Emilia by her upper arm. She fought him with every ounce of energy in her body. She kicked, she screamed, she cried. Nothing work, his grip was like iron.

"You will stop fighting me, or that prince of yours never makes it out of the realm."

"No," she sighed. She stopped fighting, she just walked calmly with Demisrie to a room, a room far from the dungeons. Far from Kili. He pushed her in and closed the door behind them.

"Running away, joining the company of Thorin Oakenshield, and… taking a fake romantic interest in a dwarven prince. You know I could just kill you know… But what's the fun in that?"

He shoved her onto the ornate bed, fumbling at his robe. Emilia felt herself begin to cry.

* * *

In his cell, Kili inspected the turquoise stone. He flips it in the air and catches it on the back of his hand. Tauriel was checking on all the prisoners; she paused at Kili's cell.

"The stone in your hand, what is it?"

"It is a talisman. A powerful spell lies upon it. If any but a dwarf holds this stone, they will be forever cursed." He joked, it was the only thing keeping him from going crazy after they took Emilia away.

Kili quickly held up the stone toward Tauriel, and she stepped back slightly. She began to walk away, but stopped when Kili spoke again, in a laughing manner.

"Or not, depending on whether you believe that kind of thing. It's just a gem."

Kili smiled, and Tauriel smiled as well.

"Honestly, I don't quite understand what it is. I keep it to hold onto an important promise I made to someone."

"What promise?"

"That I would protect someone."

"That she-elf, Emilia. I know you worry about her."

Tauriel looked down, guilt clouded her mind.

Kili nodded.

"Do you know what happened to her?"

"She means a lot to you?" Tauriel asked avoiding his question.

Kili shook his head, which gained a distressing look from Tauriel.

"She doesn't mean a lot to me, she means everything to me."

Tauriel smiled again.

He smiled and tossed up his stone. He missed when he tried to catch it, and it rolled out of his cell, but Tauriel stopped it with her foot before it can roll into the deep pit outside the cells. She picked it up and inspected it. The blue gem glowed slightly, and the coloration glinted on her face. Kili went up to the bars of his cell, then heard elves laughing in the distance.

"Sounds like quite a party you're having up there." He noted.

"It is Mereth-en-Gilith, the Feast of Starlight." Tauriel responded.

She stepped slightly away.

"All light is sacred to the Eldar, but Wood Elves love best the light of the stars."

Kili began to remember the long beautiful conversation he had with Emilia about Starlight:

* * *

" _Have you ever looked up at the stars and wondered what they see, where they go when the sun comes up?"_

" _I find starlight a dead cold light without emotion. It is far away, out of the grasp of us."_

" _Logical answer, common for a dwarf."_

" _What is that supposed to mean?"_

" _Dwarves have a common logical sense. Most tend not to even have an imagination."_

" _I have one!" Kili retorted and Ember shot him a look of question._

" _I just tend not to use it often." He admitted._

" _There it is." She said and smiled._

" _Dwarves may be a lot of fun, but they look for the logical answers and tend to think before they act. But then again I do the same thing upon occasion."_

" _Only upon occasion?" Kili asked with a hint of flirtatiousness in his voice. Ember rolled her eyes._

* * *

He smiled sadly.

"I always thought it is a cold light, remote and far away."

"It is memory, precious and pure. Like your promise."

Tauriel smiled and hands Kili back his stone.

"I have walked there sometimes, beyond the forest and up into the night. I have seen the world fall away and the white light forever fill the air."

"I saw a fire moon once. It rose over the pass near Dunland, huge; red and gold it was, filled the sky. We were an escort for some merchants from Ered Luin, they were trading in Silverbuck for furs. We took the Greenway south, keeping the mountain to our left, and then, this huge fire moon, right in our path."

Kili stopped talking.

"You never did answer my question, what happened to Emilia?"

"A man, his name was Demisrie, came looking for her. It was shortly after the spiders came back. He has her."

Kili's face was pale and cold.

"What do you know this man?"

"He's going to kill her. He wants her dead. You have to help her, please."

Tauriel looked into the fear in Kili's eyes.

"I'll do what I can to help her when he leaves."


	13. Chapter 13: Barrel Riding and Loss

Kili sat staring at the stone wall, fear grew in the pit of his torso. He glanced his head up when he heard someone throw himself against their cell door.

A hooded figure stood there looking down upon him.

"I thought you'd be better looking," the man stated before slowly removing the hood from his head. Kili first noticed the long pale scar. It ran diagonally down his face, starting just above his right eye, and ending at just below his lip.

"Who are you?" Kili said slowly standing up.

"I know Emilia has said some unkind things about me, about our… past. But most of it was untrue."

"Demisrie." Kili breathed, anger seeping into his voice.

"Ah, so you do know who I am. Good."

"Where is she?"

"Why should I tell you, you and that girl turned my two comrades against me."

Kili remembered Caio and Aros.

* * *

" _Who's there?" Kili asked as he took out a knife._

" _There is no need for violence. I am a friend not an enemy." A man's voice spoke to Kili._

" _If you're not here to hurt me show yourself." Two figures appeared from behind two trees, Kili was unable to see their faces._

" _It's alright Kili, son of Dis. We are friends of the one you call Emilia. I am Aros." A woman pulled back her hood so Kili could see her blonde ringlets fall past her shoulders. She had bright blue eyes, brighter than Thorin's, and a smile._

" _I am Caio." The other pulled back his hood revealing black hair that came to about his shoulders and dark green eyes. Ember spoke so highly of them and Kili felt it right to trust them._

" _How can I serve thee, upon Emilia's behalf?"_

" _There is no need to serve us young master Dwarf, we are here to give you some… assistance. Demisrie was furious upon the hearing of the Great Goblin's death, and that Emilia was there. He has not quite figured out what we had done to aid Emilia, but I fear he is close to doing so. He wants only her, and nothing can stop him from getting her, trust me when we say this, we've already tried. He is set on having her power for his own." Aros spoke with kindness._

" _How did you help her?"_

" _When we helped her escape we hid her from Demisrie's sight, strictly so he could not find her, ever. The spell we used was strong. But if Demisrie finds out what we did, his counter spell will be stronger. We fear for her life. If Demisrie finds her, you have to protect her, with your life. Because if Demisrie takes a grasp to her gift, Middle Earth will be beyond saving. You cannot let that happen." Caio said, and Kili nodded he felt so much pressure put on his shoulders._

" _I know this will seem like a lot young dwarf, but for her sake and safety. If Demisrie gets her she will die then all of Middle Earth will die, do you understand?"_

" _Yes I understand."_

" _Good, now Demisrie has probably noticed our absence so we best be leaving. But if you ever need help in the darkest of situations take this." Aros placed a small turquoise gem in the palm of Kili's hand, it glowed in his palm._

" _What is it?"_

" _Possibly the one thing that could save the girl you love." Aros said with a smile before disappearing in a flash of white light._

" _Protect her, please. She is all we have left." Caio said before disappearing in a flash of blue._

 _Kili sunk to his knees as he held the small gem in his palm, he held it close to his chest. There were so many questions he wanted answered, such as what the little gem was. But all he was able to do was breathe, breathe and wonder._

* * *

"Good, so you do remember them. Well, I can assure you, you will never see either of them again."

"Why?"

"They were… taken care of." Demisrie responded, a hint of murder in his voice.

"You killed them?"

"Yes, well it was my plan all along. Let me just gloat for a moment at my kill... But yes, it was my plan. Befriend them, gain their trust, kill them, take their power. Simple really. Now all I have to do, is get rid of your little love interest. Then everything is perfect."

Kili threw himself against the door, sending Demisrie back a step.

"You touch her I swear it'll be the last thing you ever do."

Demisrie leaned in toward Kili where he was only inches from his face.

"Much too late for that." His voice was evil, cold. Kili flung himself against the door once more time before sinking to the floor.

* * *

Emilia sat, her back against the ornate door, tears streaming down her face. She whipped around when she heard someone knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Tauriel. Kili asked me to help you."

"Kili? How is he?"

"Very worried. I managed to sneak your bow and one knife but I didn't get anything else."

"Why are you helping me?" Emilia asked before opening the door wearily.

"I'm not sure honestly. I know if I do though I'm going to regret it." Tauriel replied with a smile.

"Thank you though. Thank you so much."

* * *

Bilba invisibly walked through the wine cellar. She saw elves moving around wine barrels and speaking. One drank from a large flagon; Bilba saw the ring of dungeon keys in his hand.

"...we're running out of drink." She heard one elf comment.

"These empty barrels should have been sent back to Esgarrouth hours ago. The bargeman will be waiting for them." The other retorted.

"Say what you like about our ill-tempered king, but he has excellent taste in wine. Come, Elros, try it." The first elf coaxed.

"I have the dwarves in my charge."

 _They're in the dungeon, easy enough,_ Bilba thought sarcastically to herself.

She watched the other elf take the keys and hang them on a hook in the wall.

"They're locked up; where can they go?"

 _Anywhere but here,_ she commented inside her head.

The elves laughed; Bilba took note of the hanging keys.

* * *

"I'll wager the sun's on the rise. It must be nearly dawn."

Kili sat by the door of his cell, waiting to see Emilia's face, but she never came.

"We're never going to reach the mountain, are we?" Ori groaned.

Bilba suddenly appeared, holding up the ring of keys.

"Not stuck in here, you're not!" She added slyly.

Thorin and the other dwarves jumped up in surprise; Bilba hastily tucked her Ring into her pocket."Bilba!" Balin yelled.

As the dwarves exclaimed in surprise, Bilba shushed them.

"Shhh! There are guards nearby!"

Bilba unlocked Thorin's cell and let him out. When Thorin was out, he embraced Bilba and kissed her, none of the other dwarves seemed to care at the sudden action of love. She then proceeded to let all the dwarves out of their various cells, and they all chuckled gleefully at their good fortune, except Kili. Some of the dwarves start walking in a certain direction.

"Where is Emilia?" Bilba asked. The dwarves stopped to hear his answer.

"Demisrie has her. I have to get her back." Kili exclaimed.

"She can hold her own, she will manage." Thorin stated.

The dwarves began to scramble at the faint sound of elven speech.

"The stairs. You first. Ori!" Dwalin commanded.

"Not that way, down here. Follow me."

Bilba proceeded lead the dwarves through the Woodland Realm, and they whispered indistinctly. They snuck through the halls of the Woodland Realm, and eventually found themselves in the wine cellar.

The elves there were sound asleep around a table, with several empty bottles of wine in front of them. Bilba lead the dwarves further in.

"This way." Bilba commanded.

"I don't believe it; we're in the cellars!" Kili argued.

The dwarves were getting mad at Bilba.

"You were supposed to be leading us out, not further in!" Bofur explained.

"I know what I'm doing!" Bilba countered.

"Shhh!" Bofur hushed as the sleeping elves stirred.

"This way." Bilba gestured.

They snuck into a large room in which several barrels were stacked sideways down the middle of the room. All the barrels have one end open.

"Everyone, climb into the barrels, quickly!" Bilba commanded.

"Are you mad?! They'll find us!" Dwalin called.

"No, no, they won't, I promise you. Please, please, you MUST trust me!" She pleaded.

"Emilia would have listened," she said under her breath, only so Kili could hear, which sent him into a guilt trip.

The dwarves milled around, as they tried to decide. They heard a commotion in the distance.

"Do as she says!" Thorin commanded.

Each of the dwarves climbed into a barrel. Bilba walked along, counting to make sure all the dwarves had been accounted for. She stopped at the barrel that would have been Emilia's sighing she stared at the company.

"What do we do now?" Bofur asked.

All the dwarves stuck their heads out of their barrels and watched Bilba as she walked toward a lever in the ground.

"Hold your breath." She commanded.

"Hold my breath? What do you mean?" Bofur stuttered.

Bilba pulled the lever, and the part of the floor that the barrels were on tilted downward into an opening; the barrels rolled out the opening and fell several feet into a river that ran beneath the Woodland Realm. The dwarves yelled as they fall, and the barrels made loud thumping noises. The elves sleeping around the table stirred and began to wake up. Bilba triumphantly looked around, then realizes that she forgot to get out herself, and that the trap door had closed.

* * *

Tauriel strided up to the empty cells and addressed the other elven guards. Emilia stood next to her, hidden in a disguise of light elven armor. Helping Emilia, Tauriel knew not to rush the search for the dwarves.

"Where is the keeper of the keys?" She asked.

In the cellar, Bilba frantically ran back and forth and stomped on the ground, trying to make the floor tip again. Tauriel, Emilia, and her elves ran toward the cellar.

"Tolo hi!" [Translation: Come now!] She told Emilia, who nodded and followed along.

Just as Tauriel and the guards got to the cellar, the floor tipped and Bilba fell into the river, yelling. She surfaced and grabbed onto Nori's barrel. Thorin and the company, still in their barrels, had been waiting for her.

"Well done, Mistress Baggins."

Bilba, half drowned, waved her hand in thanks and managed to splutter out a word.

"Go."

"Come on, let's go."

The dwarves paddled with their hands as the river pulled their barrels along; elves rushed along passages in the Woodland Realm. The dwarves emerged into the sunlight, and Thorin saw a waterfall right in front of them.

"Hold on!"

Emilia ran next to Tauriel, who was practically protecting her. She gasped and ran faster as they approached the waterfall.

"Please don't get hurt!" She repeated to herself.

The dwarves, Bilba, and the barrels plunged through the rapids, then float swiftly down the raging river. Legolas, followed by other elves, emerges from a gateway and sees them floating away.

An elf blew on a horn; as the dwarves rounded a corner in the river, they saw a guardpost built above the river. The heavily armored elves standing guard there heard the horn and came to attention.

One of them pulled a lever, causing a heavy metal sluice gate to block the river. The dwarves in their barrels came to a stop at the gate, unable to float further.

"No!" Emilia called.

The barrels piled into each other; the elven guards drew their swords, but one is suddenly shot in the back with a black arrow. Several growling orcs swarmed over the guardpost, killing the elves. Multitudes of orcs ran in from the bushes, with Bolg.

"Watch out! Those are orcs!" Bofur called.

"Gorid! Zib! Goridug!" [Translation: Slay them all!]

The orcs began throwing themselves at the dwarves in their barrels; Bilba managed to kill one with Sting, and Dwalin elbowed another in the face.

Kili looked up and saw the lever the elven guard had pulled earlier. He managed to get out of his barrel and run up the stairs toward the lever. Unarmed, he ducked as an orc swung at him.

"Kili!" Dwalin yelled.

Dwalin, who had managed to grab a sword from one of the elves or orcs, threw it to Kili, who then fought his way to the top of the stairs. As Kili fights an orc, another one leaps up from behind him, raising its spear to stab him.

Emilia ran out of the brush and threw a dagger at the orc. Kili stopped short to look at her.

She grabbed his hand quickly.

"Go I'll cover for you." She said.

He nodded.

Emilia killed an orc before letting out a scream. Kili saw Demisrie grab her, she struggled, hard.

Demisrie nodded toward the lead orc. Then he gestured toward Kil, who didn't notice the exchange of signs.

Bolg, noticing Kili, pulled his bow and arrows from his back. As Kili reached for the lever, Bolg fired an arrow, which hit Kili in the calf. Kili stopped short, panting.

Emilia let out a cry as he stopped.

"Let me go!" She screamed. Demisrie only tightened his grip.

"Kili!" Fili yelled.

Kili groaned in pain and strains to pull the lever, but falls over onto his back. Bolg strings another arrow. Thorin looks shocked. Emilia saw Bolg as well. In a dying effort, a burst of flame ruptured from her body, not only did it burn her captor, but it sent him flying back. Using the rims of the barrels as stepping stones she crossed the river to the other side.

"Kili."

An orc leapt over to kill Kili, but an arrow suddenly flew into its head. Kili looked over and saw his love fighting to keep him alive. She shot another orc, then killed others with her knife.

"Gor'-ash! Gor golginul! " [Translation: Kill her! Kill the She-Elf!]

Several orcs rushed at Emilia; Legolas, Tauriel, and other elves appeared from the bushes and shot them down. As Tauriel, Legolas, and the other elves fought the orcs, Kili managed to grab the lever and pull it, opening the sluice gate and letting the dwarves in their barrels through. He then fell on his back again in pain. Sliding into his barrel, the arrow broke, causing him greater pain.

"Emilia come on!" He cried, hiding the pain in his voice.

When she turned around to move to him, she showed a moment of vulnerability. Demisrie raised his sword, and the hilt came crashing down upon her black hair. She fell into his arms, where he carried her into the brush, farther and farther away from Kili.

Kili moved to go after her, but the pain in his leg leaked and his barrel moved down the river, he heard himself yell her name.

The dwarves in barrels fell down another waterfall and float down the river. Bolg saw them.

"Khozdayin obguryash! Abgurid!" [Translation: After them!]

"Kili!" Fili called to his brother.

The dwarves tried to paddle and steer with their hands, but to no avail; the river was running too wild. As they came to a narrow part of the river, orcs on either side began shooting arrows at them.

In the river, an orc leapt at Thorin in his barrel, but he managed to kill it with a sword he grabbed earlier. Tauriel, Legolas, and the other elves ran after the orcs chasing the dwarves, shooting them.

An orc jumped from an overhanging tree branch toward Balin, but Thorin threw his sword and pinned the orc to the tree.

As the orc dropped its weapon, Thorin caught it while floating beneath him, and he threw back to Bombur, who threw it to Nori, who threw it to Fili, who killed an orc with it.

An orc leapt onto Dwalin barrel, only for Dwalin to headbutt it off and steal its axe. The dwarves saw a low-hanging tree branch stretched across the river in front of them, with several orcs on it."Cut the log!"

As he floats under it, Thorin hit it with his sword, then Bofur hit it with his weapon, and Dwalin, right behind him, hit the branch with his axe, breaking it and causing the orcs on it to fall into the river. Bilba managed to climb atop a floating barrel.

"Bombur!" Dwalin yelled.

Dwalin threw his axe to Bombur, who killed an orc that had just jumped onto his barrel. The Orc's spear ended up pinning it to an overhanging tree branch; the other end of the spear caught onto Bombur's barrel and catapulted it through the air and onto the riverbank, where the barrel rolled and trampled multitudes of orcs.

The barrel flipped through the air to the other side of the river, where it trampled more orcs. Eventually, the barrel came to a stop, and orcs surrounded it; however, Bombur kicked out the bottom, then stuck his arms holding axes through the sides. He then started spinning rapidly with the axes extended, mowing down all the orcs around him. He then ran toward the river, tossed his axe to one of the floating dwarves, then gracefully jumped into an empty barrel.


	14. Chapter 14: Laketown

The river had calmed down, and the dwarves paddled along in their barrels with their hands.

"Anything behind us?" Thorin asked.

"Not that I can see." Balin answered.

"I think we've outrun the orcs." Bofur exclaimed

"Not for long; we've lost the current." Thorin's responded.

"Bofur is half drowned." Dwalin pointed out.

"Who isn't," Fili remarked.

"Make for the shore! Come on, let's go!" Thorin's commanded.

The dwarves and Bilba paddled to the riverbank; they climbed out onto a slab of rock jutting out a bit into the river.

"Come on!" Dwalin yelled.

When Kili was on the rocks, he fell to his knees in pain from the arrow wound in his thigh; in his barrel he had managed to blindly tie it with cloth, but blood is seeping through. Bofur looked at him concernedly.

"I'm fine, it's nothing." Kili objected. He understood why Emilia would always hide her pain, it drew attention to himself, and he didn't like it.

"On your feet." Thorin's stated forcefully.

"Kili's wounded. His leg needs binding." Fili said helping his brother sit on a rock.

"There's an orc pack on our tail; we keep moving." He retorted.

"To where?" Balin interjected.

"To the mountain; we're so close." Bilba answered hopefully.

"A lake lies between us and that mountain. We have no way to cross it." Balin countered.

"So then we go around." She answered.

"The orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight. We have no weapons to defend ourselves." Dwalin said.

"Bind his leg, quickly. You have two minutes." Thorin told Fili, who nodded.

As Fili binded his brother's leg, he made out the words coming out of his mouth.

"I've lost her. She's gone. I've lost her."

"Kee, this is Emilia we're talking about, if anyone can make it out of this. It'll be her. She will make it."

Kili slightly nodded.

While they bound Kili's leg, some of the dwarves sat down and Ori kneeled by the river to empty his boot of water. Unbeknownst to them, a man, Bard, snuck up over the pile of rocks and aimed an arrow at Ori. As the dwarves realized a man was there, they jumped up, and Dwalin, holding a branch, leapt in front of Ori. He raises the branch and began to charge the man, but the man shot his arrow and it embedded itself right in the middle of the branch, between Dwalin's hands.

Kili raised a rock to throw, but the man shot the rock out of his hand too.

"Do it again, and you're dead." Bard stated.

Balin, who was standing near the edge of the group, saw a barge floating in the river behind Bard.

He talked to Bard, approaching him slowly with his hands held in the air in a surrendering form.

"Excuse me, but, uh, you're from Laketown, if I'm not mistaken? That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance?"

Bard lowers his bow.

"What's it to you?"

Bard climbed aboard his barge as the dwarves approach.

"What makes you think I will help you?" He asked.

"Those boots have seen better days." Balin answered.

Bard began loading the dwarves' empty barrels into his barge.

"As has that coat. No doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed. How many bairns?"

"A boy and two girls." Bard answered.

"And your wife, I'd imagine she's a beauty." Balin pressured.

"Aye. She was."

Balin's smile faded.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" Balin trailed off only to be interrupted by his brother.

"Oh, come on, come on, enough with the niceties." Dwalin groaned.

"What's your hurry?" Bard asked.

"What's it to you?" Dwalin retorted.

"I would like to know who you are and what you are doing in these lands."

"We are simple merchants from the Blue Mountains journeying to see our kin in the Iron Hills." Balin lied slyly.

"Simple merchants, you say?" Bard questioned.

Kili stared from Balin to the man, but his mind never stopped replying the images of Emilia saving his life, then losing hers all in a matter of minutes. He then tried to steady himself, using his brother as a crutch.

"You alright?" Fili whispered.

"It's nothing," he lied.

"We'll need food, supplies, weapons. Can you help us?" Thorin asked.

Bard looked at the barrels and examined the various dents and nicks they received during the fight with the orcs.

"I know where these barrels came from." Bard breathed.

"What of it?" Thorin retorted, tensing up next to Bilba.

"I don't know what business you had with the elves, but I don't think it ended well. No one enters Laketown but by leave of the Master. All his wealth comes from trade with the Woodland Realm. He will see you in irons before risking the wrath of King Thranduil." Bard pointed out. He boarded his barge and tossed a rope to Balin. Thorin mouthed to him.

" _Offer him more."_

"I'll wager there are ways to enter that town unseen." Balin interrupted.

"Aye. But for that, you will need a smuggler."

"For which we will pay double." Balin added slyly.

Bard looked at him suspiciously.

* * *

The orcs ran beside the river in pursuit of the dwarves, who the current had carried far ahead of the orcs. Bolg and Demisrie stopped at a clearing in which Demisrie had stowed his horse.

"Sha mogi obguryash!" [Translation: Don't let them go away!] Bolg yelled.

Demisrie looked at Bolg, "Kill them all if you have to, just make sure the Archer is dead."

He adjusted Emilia in his arms, her wound was slightly bleeding. He pressed his hand gently into her skull. Then he mounted his horse not letting her go.

* * *

In the woodland realm, Legolas and Tauriel had brought their captured orc to Thranduil's throne room. As Legolas stood with his knife pressed to the orc's neck, Thranduil paced around it.

"Such is the nature of evil. Out there in the vast ignorance of the world it festers and spreads, a shadow that grows in the dark. A sleepless malice as black as the oncoming wall of night. So it ever was; so will it always be. In time, all foul things come forth."

"You were tracking a company of thirteen dwarves and one she-elf. Why?" Legolas asked harshly.

"Not thirteen; not any more. The young one, the black-haired archer, we stuck him with a Morgul shaft. And the girl, she'll be dead by sundown, her master has finally reclaimed his prize."

The orc spoke this while facing Tauriel; she looked worried for Emilia's sake.

"The poison's is in his blood. He'll be choking on it soon."

"Answer the question, filth." Tauriel commanded.

"Sha hakhtiz khunai-go, Golgi!" [Translation: I do not answer to dogs, She-Elf!]

Legolas pushed the orc a bit as Tauriel whipped out her knife.

"I would not antagonize her."

"You like killing things, orc? You like death? Then let me give it to you!"

Tauriel rushed forward with her knife, but Thranduil spoke.

"Farn! Tauriel, ego! Gwao hi." [Translation: Enough! Tauriel, leave! Go now.]

The orc snarled at her, but Tauriel managed to regain her composure and left.

"I do not care about one dead dwarf or one dead elf. Answer the question. You have nothing to fear. Tell us what you know and I will set you free." Thranduil stated.

"You had orders to kill them - Why? What is Thorin Oakenshield to you?" Legolas asked not shifting his stance.

"The dwarf runt will never be king." The orc snarled.

"King? There is no king under the mountain nor will there ever be. None would dare enter Erebor, whilst the dragon lives."

"You know nothing! Your world will burn!" The orc screeched.

"What are you talking about? Speak!"

"Our time has come again. Demisrie had joined The One, he will make the world burn with all four elements. My master serves the One. Do you understand now, Elfling? Death is upon you. The flames of war are upon you-"

Thranduil, whose eyes had widened upon hearing about "the One," suddenly whipped out his sword and beheaded the orc, leaving the orc's head in Legolas's hand.

"Why did you do that? You promised to set him free." Legolas objected.

"And I did. I freed his wretched head from his miserable shoulders." Thranduil retorted.

The orc's body, although separated from its head, shook violently. Thranduil stomped on its leg to stop the shaking.

"There was more the orc could tell us."

"There was nothing more he could tell me."

Thranduil turned and walked away, sheathing his sword.

"What did he mean by the 'flames of war'?"

"It means they intend to unleash a weapon so great it will destroy all before it. Demisrie is a force not to be reckoned with on his own, but with all four elements, Middle Earth will stand no chance, no one will."

Thranduil addresses the elven guards.

"I want the watch doubled at all our borders. All roads, all rivers. Nothing moves but I hear of it. No one enters this kingdom, and no one leaves it."

* * *

Legolas approached the elves guarding the entrance to the Woodland Realm.

"Holo in ennyn! Tiro i defnin hain na ganed en-Aran." [Translation: Close the gate! Keep it sealed by order of the King.]

Legolas turned to walk away, but one of the guards called out to him.

"Man os Tauriel?" [Translation: What about Tauriel?]

Legolas stopped short.

"Man os sen?" [Translation: What about her?]

"Edevín eb enedhor na gû a megil. En ú-nandollen." [Translation: She went into the forest armed with her bow and blade. She has not returned.]

As Legolas walked toward the gate, the guard pointed out toward the forest in the direction Tauriel went. Legolas looked anxious.

* * *

Bolg and his orcs arrived at the rock where the dwarves met Bard. One of the orcs tasted a pool of liquid, Kili's blood.

"Agra-nash! Agra-yi." [Translation: Dwarf blood! They were here.]

"Nuzdi-arg nash…hum an bunish!" [Translation: There is another scent…man flesh!]

"Yisth nar nath" [Translation: They have found a way to cross the lake.]

* * *

Bard paddled the dwarves and Bilba across the lake in his barge. It was very foggy, and the barge pushed aside ice floes. Suddenly, large stone formations appear out of the fog.

"Watch out!" Bard called.

Bard expertly poled the barge between the rock formations, which turned out to be ancient ruins.

"What are you trying to do, drown us?" Thorin barked, pulling Bilba closer to him.

"I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf. If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here."

"Oh I have enough of this lippy lakeman. I say we throw him over the side and be done with him." Dwalin said. Kili gave a pained nod in agreement, before straining in pain.

Bilba answered him slightly angrily.

"Ohh, Bard, his name's Bard." She snipped.

"How do you know?" Bofur asked.

"Uh, I asked him." She said grabbing one of the ropes to steady herself.

"I don't care what he calls himself, I don't like him." Dwalin addressed to Thorin.

"We do not have to like him, we simply have to pay him. Come on now, lads, turn out your pockets." Balin said before shooting a sympathetic glance to Kili.

The dwarves begin pulling out their money and valuables. Dwalin whispered to Thorin.

"How do we know he won't betray us?"

"We don't."

Balin counted the money quickly and sharply.

"There's, um, just a problem: we're ten coins short."

"Gloin. Come on. Give us what you have." Thorin said, a slight smile on his face.

"Don't look to me. I have been bled dry by this venture! And what have I seen for my investment? Naught but misery and grief and-"

Gloin stopped talking when he realized that all the others had slowly stood up and were looking at something in the distance. As the fog thinned, Kili saw the Lonely Mountain.

"Bless my beard. Take it. Take all of it." Gloin said.

Gloin handed Balin a sack of coins he had secretly withheld before. Bilba coughed and gestured her head toward Bard, who was approaching the dwarves on their end of the barge.

"The money, quick, give it to me." Bard quickly and harshly commanded.

"We'll pay you when we get our provisions, but not before." Thorin retorted.

"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say. There are guards ahead." Bard countered.

The dwarves and Bilba turned and saw the rooftops of Laketown in the distance.

* * *

Bard's barge was stopped at a dock just outside the city; Bard hopped off and spoke to a man. Meanwhile, the dwarves and Bilba were hidden in the barrels on the barge.

"Shh, what's he doing?" Dwalin asked.

Bilba peered through a hole in her barrel.

"He's talking to someone." She answered.

Bilba saw Bard point back at the barrels while talking to the man.

"And he's...pointing right at us!" She exclaimed.

Thorin looks anxious. Bard shook the man's hands.

"Now they're shaking hands." Bilba stated, worriment filling her entire body.

"What?" Thorin exclaimed rashly.

"That villain! He's selling us out."

All the dwarves in their individual barrels listened anxiously; suddenly, dead fish are poured into the barrels. The dwarves spluttered in surprise.

Bard poled his barge toward the gate of the city; on deck were the 14 barrels all full of fish, with a dwarf or hobbit inside as well.

Bard kicked the barrel closest to him.

"Quiet! We're approaching the toll gate."

As Kili sat there trying to keep the pain from growing greater, he couldn't help but think of what Emilia would be doing right now. She would have been trying to calm herself down by making jokes, jokes equally funny as they were inappropriate. She never made them around the company, only around Fili and himself. Yet they always made the situations better.

"Halt! Goods inspection. Papers, please. Oh, it's you, Bard."

Bard brought his boat up to the gatekeeper's office, and the gatekeeper stepped out to see him.

"Morning, Percy."

"Anything to declare?" The gatekeeper, Percy asked.

"Nothing, but that I am cold and tired, and ready for home."

Bard handed the gatekeeper some papers.

"You and me both."

As the gatekeeper takes the papers and goes into his office to stamp them, Bard looks around warily.

"Here we are. All in order."

He held out Bard's papers, but a man, Alfrid, suddenly stepped out of the shadows and grabbed the papers.

"Not so fast."

Alfrid read Bard's papers, then looked at his load.

"Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm. Only, they're not empty, are they, Bard?"

Alfrid tossed Bard's papers to the wind and approached him, with some of Laketown's soldiers behind him.

"If I recall correctly, you're licensed as a bargeman, not a fisherman."

As Alfrid said this, he picked up one of the fish from a barrel and held it up to Bard. He doesn't see Bombur's eyes looking up from the gap where the fish had been.

"That's none of your business." Bard retorted quickly.

"Wrong. It's the Master's business, which makes it my business."

"Oh come on, Alfrid, have a heart. People need to eat!" Bard was trying now to divert the attention away from the barrels.

"These fish are illegal." Alfrid quickly shot.

Alfrid threw the fish he was holding into the water, then commanded the soldiers.

"Empty the barrels over the side."

The soldiers, lead by their captain, Braga, moved to comply.

"You heard him. Into the canal. Come on, get a move on."

The soldiers began tipping the barrels over and letting the fish fall into the lake. Kili was just about to laugh, feeling he was going to die over fish. Even after everything they had been through, some illegal fish were going to be his downfall.

"Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce."

"That's not my problem."

"And when the people hear the Master is dumping fish back in the lake, when the rioting starts, will it be your problem then?" Bard quickly spoke.

Bard and Alfrid stared at each other intensely for a few seconds, then finally Alfrid raised his hand to the soldiers.

"Stop."

The soldiers stopped tipping the barrels over and return to the buildings.

"Ever the people's champion, eh, Bard? Protector of the common folk? You might have their favor now, bargeman, but it won't last."

Alfrid walked away gruffly.

"Raise the gate!" Percy announced.

A large portcullis blocking the channel was raised, and Bard began to pole his barge through. As he passed, Alfrid turns around and shouted to him.

"The Master has his eye on you; you'd do well to remember. We know where you live."

"It's a small town, Alfrid; everyone knows where everyone lives."

Bard docked his barge shortly after. After looking around, he knocked over one of the barrels, and Ori fell out along with a pile of fish. Bard continued knocking over barrels. He reached for Dwalin's barrel, but Dwalin poked his head up through the fish.

"Get your hands off me."

The remaining dwarves and Bilba struggled out of their barrels, looking greasy and slimy from the fish. The dock keeper looked on in shock. Bard approached him and slipped him a coin.

"You didn't see them, they were never here. The fish you can have for nothing." Bard lead the Company away.

A woman working on a boat happened to look up and she saw the dwarves running through Laketown in the distance. She looked shocked.

As they strode through Laketown, Bard's son, Bain, ran up to them.

"Da! Our house, it's being watched."

Bard looked at Thorin and hatched a plan.

* * *

Bard and his son walked along back to their house. As they walked, a fisherman in a boat saw them and dropped his eyepatch over one eye, then knocked with his staff on a wall nearby. Upon this signal, two boys ran from the wall, and one knocked over a contraption which causes a hammer to hit a bell. At this signal, another man lit a match to light his pipe. He turned and looked at two men in a fishing boat right next to Bard's house, and they nodded and switched their poles to the opposite sides of the boat than before. They did this just as Bard and Bain get to their house and enter through the door. Just before Bard enters, he tossed an apple to one of the fisherman.

"You can tell the Master that I'm done for the day."

Inside the house, Bard's daughters, Sigrid and Tilda, greeted their father.

"Da! Where have you been?" The youngest, Tilda exclaimed.

"Father! There you are. I was worried." Sigrid finished.

Both daughters ran to their father, and they hugged. Bard then handed his bag to Sigrid.

"Here's something to eat. Bain, get them in."

As Bard looked out a window, Bain went down some steps to the lower floor of the house, which is open to the water. After looking around, he knocked on the wall near the toilet three times. Dwalin's head appeared through the toilet, which is open to the water below.

"If you speak of this to anyone, I'll rip your arms off." Dwalin threatened.

Dwalin raised the seat and began to pull himself out of the toilet. Bain reached out to help him, but Dwalin slapped his hand away.

"Up there." Bain pointed up the stairs, and Dwalin went up. Bilba poked her head up through the toilet, looking flabbergasted, and Bain helped her out. The rest of the dwarves follow and head upstairs.

"Da...why are there dwarves climbing out of our toilet?" Sigrid asked watching from the stairwell.

"Will they bring us luck?" Tilda asked hopefully.

* * *

The dwarves are wrapped in blankets, and their wet things had been laid in front of the fire to dry. Some of them shivered.

"It may not be the best fit, but it'll keep you warm."

Tilda passed out blankets, and Bilba thanked her when she received one. Her golden curls were tied keeping them away from her skin in an attempt to keep herself from getting more cold.

Thorin looked out a window and saw a wooden tower not far away. Atop the tower is a windlance, a giant cross-bow type weapon with four arms. Thorin looked at it in shock.

"A Dwarvish Wind-Lance." Thorin breathed.

Bilba, who was sipping a hot drink from a mug, looked at the wind-lance too. She moved closer to Thorin, standing close to him. When their eyes briefly met she sent him a kind smile.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." She profiled seeing his emotions.

"He has. The last time we saw such a weapon, a city was on fire. It was the day the dragon came." Balin stated in response.

Thorin looked sadly away remembering that fateful day.

"Had the aim of Men been true that day, much would have been different."

Bard approached Thorin. "You speak as if you were there."

"All dwarves know the tale."

"Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon. He loosened a scale under the left wing. One more shot and he would have killed the beast." Bain interjected.

"Ha ha ha! That's a fairy story, lad. Nothing more." Dwalin responded with a grunt and a laugh.

Thorin strided up to Bard.

"You took our money. Where are the weapons?"

"Wait here."

Bard went down the stairs to the lower part of the house. After looking around to make sure no one was watching, he pulled on a rope hanging off a small boat and pulled up a wrapped package that had been hidden underwater.

While Bard is doing this, Thorin, Balin, Fili, and Kili talked quietly together.

"Tomorrow begins the last days of autumn." Thorin explained.

"Durin's Day falls morn after next. We must reach the mountain before then." Balin added.

"And if we do not? If we fail to find the hidden door before that time?" Kili said

"Then this quest has been for nothing." Fili said, but Kili added something in his own mind, _Then I lost her, all for nothing._

Bard returned and laid the package on the table as the dwarves stand around it. He loosened the wrappings and revealed a couple of hand-made weapons. The dwarves looked at them in shock, then picked up the weapons and looked at them in disgust.

"What is this?" Thorin asked.

"Pike-hook. Made from an old harpoon." Bard explained.

"And this?" Kili asked picking up another weapon.

"A crowbill, we call it, fashioned from a smithy's hammer. It's heavy in hand, I grant, but in defense of your life, these will serve you better than none."

Thorin and Dwalin looked disgustedly at each other.

"We paid you for weapons. Iron-forged swords and axes!" Gloin stammered.

Bofur threw his weapon back on the table, and the other dwarves follow suit.

"You won't find better outside the city armory. All iron-forged weapons are held there under lock and key."

Thorin and Dwalin looked at each other out of the corners of their eyes, hatching a plan.

"Thorin."

Bard looked up at the mention of the name Thorin, as if the name sounds familiar to him.

"Why not take what's been offered and go? I've made do with less; so have you. I say we leave now." Balin almost pleaded.

"You're not going anywhere." Bard forced.

"What did you say!?" Dwalin countered quickly.

"There's spies watching this house and probably every dock and wharf in the town. You must wait till nightfall."

Hearing this, the dwarfs began to settle down. Kili, leaning on a pole, looked like he's in pain and he slowly slid down the pole and sat on a couch. Wincing, he examined the bandage on his leg while making sure no one was looking. Never had he been in so much pain, but as he was trying to examine his wound his mind raced, picturing every scar and burn on Emilia's scarred body. The three lining her side had to hurt more than a simple arrow.

Bard was standing on his porch; he talked to himself, trying to recall where he'd heard the name 'Thorin' before.

With a sudden shock of understanding, he whirled around and looked at the Lonely Mountain in the distance. The door opened, and Bain sticks his head out.

"Don't let them leave."

Bard hurried down his steps and into the town.


	15. Chapter 15: The Pain of Betrayal

Tauriel, in pursuit of the orcs, came to a rocky promontory at the end of the river and at at the banks of the lake. Far across the lake, Laketown was visible. On the rocks were pieces of a deer that the orcs had previously shot and ripped apart. Hearing something, Tauriel turned her head slightly and reached for something at her side. She whipped around and came to a crouch with an arrow nocked to her bow. Several yards behind her was Legolas, also with his bow drawn.

"Ingannen le Orch." [Translation: I thought you were an Orc.]

"Cí Orch im, dangen le." [Translation: If I were an Orc, you would be dead.]

They both lowered their bows.

"Tauriel, you cannot hunt thirty orcs on your own."

"But I'm not on my own."

Legolas smiled.

"You knew I would come."

Tauriel smiled in return.

"The king is angry, Tauriel. For 600 years, my father has protected you, favored you. You defied his orders; you betrayed his trust. Dandolo na nin...e gohenatha." [Translatio: Come back with me...he will forgive you.]

"Ú-'ohenathon. Cí dadwenithon, ú-'ohenathon im." [Translation: But I will not. If I go back, I will not forgive myself.]

"The king has never let orc-filth from our lands, yet he would let this orc-pack cross our borders and kill our prisoners."

"It is not our fight."

"It _is_ our fight. It will not end here. With every victory, this evil will grow. If your father has his way, we will do nothing. We will hide within our walls, live our lives away from the light, and let darkness descend. Are we not part of this world? "Tell me, _mellon_ , when did we let evil become stronger than us?"

Legolas looked conflicted.

* * *

Bard ran through Laketown. He ran into a shop, and the storekeeper greeted him.

"Hello, Bard. What're you after?"

Bard began looking through a pile of tapestries.

"There was a tapestry, an old one; where's it gone?"

"What tapestry you talking about?"

"This one."

He picked up a tapestry and unrolled it on a table. It had the names of the members of the Line of Durin sewn into it. He overheard the woman who saw the dwarves earlier speaking to some other townspeople not far away.

"There were dwarves, I tell you. Appeared out of nowhere. Full beards, fierce eyes; I've never seen the like."

"What are dwarves doing in these parts?"

"It's the prophecy."

"Prophecy?"

"The prophecy of Durin's folk."

Bard traced through the lineage on the tapestry and found the last entry, Thorin. He looked up, thinking deeply, and talked to himself.

"The prophecy...prophecy."

The people of Laketown were beginning to talk about the dwarves now as the word spreads.

"The old tales will come true."

"Vast halls of treasure! Can it really be true? Has the lord of silver fountains returned?"

This phrase jolted Bard's memory, and he began to recite the prophecy to himself.

" _The lord of silver fountains,_

 _The king of carven stone,_

 _The king beneath the mountain shall come into his own,_

 _And the bells shall ring in gladness at the mountain king's return,_

 _But all shall fail in sadness and the lake will shine and burn_."

Bard ran quickly to his house; the setting sun caused the lake to glow orange as he recited the last line of the prophecy over again to himself. Bard burst into his house and found no dwarves remaining. His son came up to him.

"Da! I tried to stop them-"

"How long have they been gone!?"

* * *

It was night at Laketown. The dwarves were sneaking through the town toward the armory, hiding from watchmen. They hid behind a boat as two watchmen walk by.

"Shh! Keep it down." Dwalin forced.

"As soon as we have the weapons, we make straight for the mountain. Go, go, go!" Thorin quickly instructed.

With the watchmen gone, Thorin pointed to Nori, who got a running start and ran up a pyramid of dwarves who had pressed themselves against the walls of the city armory. He was able to get high enough that he could reach a second floor window and dive through.

"Next." Thorin whispered.

Bilba did the same thing as Nori.

Soon, several dwarves were in the armory, and they began collecting the weapons stored there. Kili struggled under a load of several different weapons, and Thorin handed him another one.

"You all right?" Thorin's voice was full of concern and empathy.

"I can manage. Let's just get out of here." Kili returned, hiding his pain.

Thorin looked at Kili, then laid another sword on the pile Kili is holding. Kili began walking down the stairs, but his wounded leg gave way and he fell with a cry. The weapons made a terrible clanging noise, and the dwarves both inside and outside looked around warily. In the distance, the watchmen cry out, and running footsteps approached.

Kili was in too much pain to get up, but the look in his eyes showed hsi uncle that he was in too much pain. Kili's eyes also showed another emotion, one that was more prominent, regret.

"Run!"

The dwarves still outside began to run, but are stopped by two watchmen pointing pikes at them. Bilba and the dwarves in the armory grabbed weapons, but several other guards pointed pikes at them too. Braga, the captain of the guard, was holding Kili with a dagger to his throat.

Alfrid poked his head out of the door to the Master's mansion to see the commotion. He saw the soldiers dragging the dwarves to the mansion, with multitudes of townspeople following behind. It was snowing a little.

"Get off of me!" Dwalin scowled.

Alfrid closed the door harshly and went to get the master. Braga arranged all of the dwarves under guard in the town square before the doors of the mansion. As guards opened the doors of the mansion, the Master stormed out, still putting on his coat.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Master bellowed.

"We caught 'em stealing weapons, sire."

"Ah. Enemies of the state, then."

"This is a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire." Alfrid snaked.

"Hold your tongue. You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal; this is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!" Dwalin gestured at Thorin, and he stepped forward. The crowd murmured in amazement.

"We are the dwarves of Erebor."

The crowd whispered in shock and recognition, and people craned their heads to see better.

"We have come to reclaim our homeland. I remember this town and the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbor, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake! This was the center of all trade in the North." Thorin announced, gaining nods from the crowd. "I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!"

The people cheered and clap, and the Master looked on, calculating. Suddenly, a voice called out over the crowd, and Bard strided forward.

"Death! That is what you will bring upon us. Dragon-fire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all."

The people whispered anxiously.

"You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise you this; If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain. You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!"

The people shouted in excitement and they applaud. The Master looked on, smiling and nodding at this turn of events.

"All of you! Listen to me! You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale?!"

The people quieted down and shake their heads sadly.

"Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?!"

The people shouted a unanimous, "No!"

"And for what purpose? The blind ambition of a mountain-king so riven by greed, he could not see beyond his own desire!"

As Bard and Thorin stared at each other angrily, the crowd got louder, but then the Master stepped forth.

"Now, now, we must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame. Let us not forget that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor, who failed to kill the beast!"

The Master pointed accusingly at Bard, and the crowd begins to clamor. As Bard looked away, Thorin looked at him in shock and anger.

"It's true, sire. We all know the story: arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing its mark."

Bard looked around as the crowd yelled angrily at him. He then strode forward and spoke to Thorin earnestly.

"You have no right, no right to enter that mountain!"

"I have the only right."

Thorin turned and faced the Master.

"I speak to the Master of the men of the Lake. Will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you share in the great wealth of our people?"

The people quietly watched in anticipation.

"What say you?" Thorin asked.

The Master thought for several seconds, then smiled and pointed his finger at Thorin.

"I say unto you...welcome! Welcome and thrice welcome, King under the Mountain!"

The Master opened his arms in welcome, and the crowd erupted in cheers. Bard looked on silently.

Thorin climbed up a few steps and turned to face the audience; the people hugged each other in excitement and joy. Thorin and Bard stared at each other.

* * *

It was morning in Laketown; the people crowded along the sides of the main channel as a boat was loaded with supplies for the dwarves to take to the mountain.

"You do know we're one short; where's Bofur?" Bilba inquired.

"If he's not here, we leave him behind." Thorin replied.

"We have to, if we're to find the door before nightfall. We can risk no more delays."

They marched along the pier and the dwarves began to board the boat. Thorin stopped Kili before he can get in the boat.

"Not you. We must travel with speed, you will slow us down."

Kili smiled, thinking his uncle was joking.

"What are you talking about? I'm coming with you."

"No."

Fili, already in the boat, turned and looked at Thorin and Kili.

"I'm going to be there when that door is opened, when we first look upon the halls of our fathers, Thorin."

"Kili, stay here. Rest. Join us when you're healed."

Thorin laid his hand on Kili's shoulder and smiled at him, but Kili looked shocked and betrayed. Thorin turned to board the boat. Kili turned away. Oin got out of the boat.

"I'll stay with the lad. My duty lies with the wounded."

"Uncle, we grew up on tales of the mountain. Tales you told us. You can't take that away from him!" Fili was trying to argue with his uncle in getting Kili back on the boat.

On the shore, Oin was examining Kili, but Kili was trying to pull away from him.

"Fili."

"I will carry him, if I must!"

"One day you will be king, and you will understand. I cannot risk the fate of this quest for the sake of one dwarf, not even my own kin."

Fili looked at Kili, then stepped out of the boat. Thorin tried to stop him.

"Fili, don't be a fool. You belong with the Company."

"I belong with my brother."

Fili pulled away from Thorin and went to join Kili and Oin.

The musicians of Laketown played their instruments as the Master climbed up to a raised platform. He waved, and the people cheered and clapped.

Further away in a house in the town, a sleeping Bofur was woken up by the sound of the music. He was asleep under a table, and as he jolted upright, he smacked his head on the bottom of the table.

"By my beard, is that the time? Oh, ugh."

Bofur scrambled up unsteadily and ran out the door, grabbing a glass of drink on his way. In the background, the Master was addressing the people. Bofur ran as fast as he could toward the crowd.

"...Bring good fortune to all," The Master smiled and waved to the dwarves in the boat as they pulled into the canal and began to paddle away. Kili looked on miserably from the dock. The dwarves in the boat smiled, waved, and bowed at the cheering people.

"Goodbye!"

Bofur pushed his way through the townspeople and reached the water, only to find the boat of dwarves far off down the canal. He turned and found Kili, Fili, and Oin.

"Ah! So you missed the boat as well?"

Suddenly, Kili moans in pain and begins to fall over, but Fili catches him, "Kili? Kili!"

Oin tried to examine him.

* * *

Bard opened his door to find Bofur, Fili, Kili, and Oin on his doorstep.

"No. I'm done with dwarves. Go away."

He tried to slam the door shut, but Bofur stopped it with his foot.

"No, no, no! No one will help us; Kili's sick. He's very sick." Bofur pleaded.

Bard saw Kili being supported by Oin and Fili; he looks extremely sick. Bard hesitated.

Kili began to mumble the same sentences over and over again, which caused Fili to go into a hysteria.

"Emilia, I am so sorry I could never do anything for you. I broke my promise. I couldn't protect you."

"You're going to make it out of the Kee, you'll see her again." Fili reassured before looking back at Bard. Doubt began to fester in his mind about his brother's health, and the welfare of his brother's love.

* * *

"Please let me go, please!" Emilia begged as she practically hung by her wrists which were shackled to the ceiling of the Ithil's old prison.

She remembered looking at her prince before feeling a sharp pain and then blacking out. Then she woke up, completely nude and hanging in the prison.

Demisrie paced around the cell.

"There is no way I am letting you out of my sight again my _prize_." Emilia flinched at the cold seductive word.

"Oh, don't worry. You never have to worry about that pesky dwarf again. He will not make it to Erebor."

"Kili?" She breathed, "What did you do?" She yelled before feeling the stinging pain of the back of his hand connecting with her cheek.

She gasped out of pain.

"You should know it would be very unwise to speak to me that way. But, your little pest, I had him stuck with a Morgul shaft. His blood is carrying the poison into his frail heart and into his lungs. He'll choke on it before realizing you never truly loved him."

Emilia yanked on her chains before falling against the wall, tears falling down her face.

"Don't cry my pet, you'll be with him soon enough." He breathed before snaking out of the cell.

The only sound she heard was the sound of her cries.

That was the moment where a burning liquid fell onto her uncovered shoulder. She turned her head to see the metal shackles burning away.

"Thank you," she whispered to herself creating a plan in her mind.

* * *

Meanwhile, Bilba and the rest of the Company were in their boat, heading across the lake toward the Lonely Mountain. As the other dwarves row, Thorin stood at the bow of the boat, facing ahead. They were all decked out in regal clothes and armor from Laketown.

They climbed the foothills of the mountain. At one point, Thorin, recognizing the landscape, ran atop an embankment overlooking a valley. As the other dwarves joined him, they looked at the other end of the valley and saw the ruins of Dale.]

"What is this place?" Bilba asked, slightly afraid of the answer.

"It was once the city of Dale. Now it is a ruin. The desolation of Smaug."

"The sun will soon reach midday; let's find the hidden door into the mountain before it sets. This way!"

"Wait...is this the overlook? Gandalf said to meet him here. On no account were we-"

Thorin interrupted her abruptly.

"Do you see him? We have no time to wait upon the wizard. We're on our own."

Thorin turned and walked away.

"Come."

The other dwarves followed him; Bilba looks back at the city, conflicted.

She muttered one sentence to herself, and one realization finally set it.

"If only Emilia were here, she'd know what to do."

* * *

Thorin stood his sword in the ground and panted. He called up to the other dwarves, who are all scouring the sides of the Mountain, trying to find the secret entrance.

"Anything?"

"Nothing!"

"If the map is true, the hidden door lies directly above us."

Bilba, walking around, saw a massive statue of a dwarf carved into the side of the mountain. Looking closely, she noticed a set of stairs built into the statue.

"Up here!" She announced.

"You have keen eyes, Mistress Baggins."

They painstakingly made their way up the steep and treacherous steps and find a little rock-walled clearing in the side of the mountain. Thorin ran to the clearing as soon as his feet were flat on the floor.

"This must be it. The hidden door."

The remaining dwarves and Bilba came into the clearing as well.

"Let all those who doubted us rue this day!" Thorin cheered, holding up the key. As soon as he did, the others joined in.

"Right. We have our key, which means that somewhere, there is a keyhole."

He began exploring the walls of the clearing with his fingers, looking for a keyhole. Thorin walked to the edge of the clearing and looked out at the setting sun.

"The last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole."

Thorin looked at the wall and tried to figure out what the light hitting the wall means. As the sun got lower and lower on the horizon and nothing changed on the wall, Thorin began to get frantic.

"Nori."

Nori, who was known as a thief, ran to the wall and began tapping it in different places with a spoon while holding his ear to a cup held against the wall. Meanwhile, Dwalin strained and pushed against the wall. The sun got lower.

"We're losing the light."

"Come on!" Dwalin yelled as he began kicking at the wall.

"Be quiet! I can't hear when you're thumping." Nori complained.

"I can't find it...it's not here! It's not here."

As the sun got closer to disappearing, Thorin frantically gestured to the other dwarves.

"Break it down!"

Dwalin, Gloin, and Bifur smashed at the wall with their weapons, to no avail.

"Come on!"

"It's no good! The door's sealed. It can't be opened by force. Powerful magic on it."

The dwarves hitting the door dropped their weapons in tiredness and out of disappointment. The sun disappeared behind distant mountains.

"No!" was the one word Thorin muttered.

Thorin stumbled forward and re-examined the old map, reading aloud.

"The last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole. That's what it says."

He held his arms open in disbelief; the other dwarves muttered in disappointment and anger.

"What did we miss?"

Thorin walked up to Balin and repeated his question, earnestly and tearfully.

"We've lost the light. There's no more to be done. We had but one chance."

The dwarves bowed their heads in despair and turned back toward the stairs.

"Come away; it's...it's over." Balin grieved.

"Wait a minute!"

"You wait."

"Where are they going? You can't give up now!" Bilba announced.

Bilba looked beseechingly at Thorin, but Thorin turned away. He held up his key and looked at it, then dropped it to the ground, where it clattered.

"Thorin...you can't give up now." She pleaded.

But Thorin threw the map at Bilba's chest and walked past her. The dwarves began descending down the stairs, but Bilba stayed in the clearing. She recited the riddle from the map to herself while gesturing with her hands.

"Stand by the grey stone..."

She went and stood by the grey wall.

"When the thrush knocks..."

She looked around but didn't see a thrush anywhere.

"The setting sun...and the last light of Durin's Day will shine. Hmm. The last light. Last light…"

She turned away from the wall, thinking hard and muttering to herself. With a thought, she looked up and saw the clouds move aside to reveal the moon. She looked at it wonderingly and saw that it illuminated the clearing. Hearing a noise, she turned back and saw a thrush hitting a snail against the grey wall. Just then, the moonlight hit the wall.

As the thrush flew away, Bilba laughed with relief and delight and pointed at the wall.

"The last light!" She exclaimed.

The moonlight illuminated a keyhole in the rock, and Bilba gasped in surprise, then yelled for the dwarves, who have already gone. She peered over the edge of the clearing at the stairs, but saw no sign of the dwarves.

"The keyhole! Come back! Come back! It's the light of the moon, the last moon of autumn! Ha ha ha!"

She then began looking around on the ground.

"Where's the- Where's the key? Where's the- it was here…but it was here, it was here! It was just…"

Bilba was looking frantically around on the ground in the clearing for the key, suddenly, her foot hit it and it went flying from the clearing. Just before it fell off the side of the mountain, a boot stepped on the string and stopped it. It was Thorin. Bilba sighed in relief. Thorin slowly reached down and picked up the key, then examined it. The other dwarves stepped up beside him. They all smiled in relief at Bilba.

Thorin inserted the key into the keyhole and turned it; mechanisms were heard turning behind the rock. Thorin pushed the wall, and a previously unseen door opened into the mountain. The seams of the door were completely invisible earlier. The door opened into a tunnel going into the mountain. The dwarves looked on it awe as Thorin stood on the threshold.

"Erebor."

"Thorin…" Balin choked up, and Thorin put a hand on his shoulder. Thorin then stepped into the mountain.

"I know these walls…these walls, this stone. You remember it, Balin. Chambers filled with golden light." As he said this, Thorin ran his hands over the walls, lost in memory. Balin stepped into the tunnel.

"I remember."

The rest of the Company slowly and reverently entered the mountain. Inside, Nori pointed at a carving in the wall above the door; it was of the throne of Erebor, with the Arkenstone above it, sending out rays of light in all directions. Gloin read aloud the inscription on the carving.

"Herein lies the seventh kingdom of Durin's Folk. May the heart of the mountain unite all dwarves in defense of this home."

Bilba looked at the carving in interest and curiosity. Balin explained it to her.

"The throne of the king."

"Oh. And what's that above it?"

"The Arkenstone."

"Arkenstone….And what's that?" Bilba asked, confused, yet fearful.

"That, Master Burglar, is why you are here."

All the dwarves looked at Bilba, and she looked bewildered, but resolute.

* * *

In Bard's house, Kili was laying on a bed and moaning and straining in pain. His face was covered in sweat.

As he continued moaning, Bofur filled a bowl with hot water and rushed to him.

"Can you not do something?" Bofur begged Oin.

"I need herbs, something to bring down his fever."

Bard searched through his bag of medicines.

"I have nightshade, feverfew…"

"They're no use to me. Do you have any Kingsfoil?" Oin explained.

"No, it's a weed. We feed it to the pigs."

"Pigs? Weed? Right."

Bofur pointed at Kili.

"Don't move."

Bofur then ran out of the house in search of pigs and Kingsfoil. Sure, he cared for Kili's health, but he made a promise to Emilia, and he intended to keep it.


	16. Chapter 16: Inside the Mountain

Balin and Bilba walked into a tunnel leading to the interior of the mountain.

"You want me to find a jewel?" She asked, fear hiding in her voice.

"A large white jewel, yes." Balin answered.

"That's it? Only, I imagine there's quite a few down there."

"There is only one Arkenstone. You'll know it when you see it."

"Alright."

Balin began to walk back down the tunnel, but then paused.

"In truth, lass, I do not know what you will find down there. You needn't go if you don't want to, there's no dishonor in turning back."

"No, Balin, I promised I would do this, and I think I must try."

Balin looked at Bilba, then began to chuckle appreciatively.

"It never ceases to amaze me."

"What's that?"

"The courage of Hobbits. Go now with as much luck as you can muster."

They nodded at each other, and Bilba proceeded down the tunnel while Balin turned back.

"Oh, and Bilba...if there is, in fact, a live dragon down there, don't waken it."

Bilba looked worried, but nodded. She walked a few more steps, then turned as if to ask a question, but Balin was already disappearing around a corner. Bilba tiptoed toward Smaug's lair. She was nervous, cautious, and lonely all at once. All she now wanted to do was get this done.

* * *

Bilba quietly walked through a large doorway and found herself in a massive hall. She whispers out loud.

"Hello?"

She knocked quietly on the wall beside him, but the sound was intensified loudly as it echoed, and she jumps and pressed herself against the wall in shock. Seeing no reaction to the noise, she walked out into the hall on an elevated walkway.

"You're not at home. Not at home. Good. Good, good, good." she mumbled to herself.

Bilba, at the top of a staircase, suddenly stopped walking and her mouth hung open in shock. She saw mountains of gold, jewels, weapons, cups, and all sorts of treasure piled dozens of feet high all throughout the immensely massive hall. Bilba climbed down the stairs and carefully began to walk atop the treasure. She tried to be quiet, but the coins and jewels beneath her feet made a lot of noise. She poked around, looking for the Arkenstone. She found a large white jewel and examined it.

"What's that?"

She shook the jewel and continued examining it; deciding that it was not the Arkenstone, she carelessly threw it aside, then jumped when it clattered and made a lot of noise.

"Sushh, sushh," she tried, but it was no use.

She continued to look around.

"Arkenstone, Arkenstone...a large, white jewel. Very helpful," she muttered sarcastically.

Bilba was surrounded by so much treasure that it would be impossible for her to find one particular jewel out of all of it.

Bilba climbed up a mountain of gold. She picked up a golden cup, and this action started a small avalanche of coins. Bilba looked up and saw the coins falling away to reveal Smaug's eye, which was shut. Bilba jumped behind a stone pillar in fright. All was silent, and it seemed like Smaug was still asleep. Suddenly, the dragon snorted, and the treasure around his nose fell away, revealing the monster. Bilba, panting, slowly tried to make her way down the pile of gold, but stopped short when she realized that Smaug's body was buried in a large circle around where she was standing. The gold all along Smaug's body began to ripple as he awakened.

Bilba took a few steps, then paused and kneeled as Smaug began to raise his head, his eyes were still closed. As Smaug opened his eyes, Bilba ran and dove behind a pile of gold. As Smaug's eyes looks around, Bilba reached into her pocket and pulled out the Ring. He looked at it for several seconds, then looked up as Smaug began to raise his head. She slipped the Ring on, and became invisible. Smaug raised his massive head and sniffed the air.

"Well, thief, I smell you. I hear your breath. I feel your air. Where are you?" The monster bellowed. As Smaug said this, he moved his head back and forth around the place where Bilba was invisibly standing, and Bilba had to duck to avoid being knocked over. Bilba panicked and ran down the mountain of treasure. Even though she was invisible, Smaug could still see where she was going because of the coins she was dislodging with her feet while running. Smaug followed rapidly. Bilba ducked behind a stone outcropping as Smaug continued searching.

"Come now, don't be shy. Step into the light. Mmm, there is something about you, something you carry. Something made of gold, but far more... _PRECIOUSSSSS._ "

While saying this, Smaug's head was right in front of Bilba's hiding place. As Smaug says "Precious," the word reverberated in Bilba's head over and over and she strained in mental pain. A flaming eye bursted into her vision, and she yanked the Ring off, becoming visible to Smaug.

"There you are, thief in the shadows."

"I did not come to steal from you, O Smaug the Unassessably Wealthy. I merely wanted to gaze upon your magnificence, to see if you really were as great as the old tales say. I did not believe them."

Hearing this, Smaug stomped several yards away and drew himself up so his entire body was visible to Bilba. He was a massive dragon with two back legs, two massive, bat-like wings with claws, and both his neck and tail are incredibly long. His head alone is the size of a village hut.

"And, do you you now?!"

"Truly, the tales and songs fall utterly short of your enormity, O Smaug the Stupendous."

"Do you think flattery will keep you alive?"

Bilba prayed it would but she doubted the enormous creature.

"No- no, no."

"No, indeed. You seem familiar with my name, but I don't remember smelling your kind before. Who are you, and where do you come from, may I ask?"

Smaug snaked his head closer to Bilba as he asked the question. Bilba opened her mouth to speak but then suddenly saw something off to the side. It was the Arkenstone, she was so sure of it; a small, white gem glowing with an unnatural light, buried under one layer of coins.

"I- I come from under the hill."

"Underhill?"

Bilba nodded, and snuck a peek at the Arkenstone. It is not far away from her.

"And under hills and over hills my path has led. And, and, through the air. I am she who walks unseen." She stalled.

"Impressive. What else do you claim to be?" Smaug snaked his head forward until his teeth were inches from Bilba's face. As Smaug exhaled, Bilba grimaced at his breath.

"I am...luck-wearer. Riddle-maker."

"Lovely titles; go on."

"Barrel-rider," she continued hesitantly.

"Barrels? Now that is interesting. And what about your little dwarf friends? Where are they hiding?"

"Dw- Dwarves? No, no, no dwarves here. You've got that all wrong," she stumbled over her words, completely caught off guard.

"Oh, I don't think so, barrel-rider. They sent you in here to do their dirty work while they skulk about outside."

"Truly, you are mistaken, O Smaug, Chiefest and Greatest of calamities."

"You have nice manners...for a thief and a liar! I know the smell and taste of dwarf. No one better. It is the gold! They are drawn to treasure like flies to dead flesh."

As Smaug stomped about, his claws knocked the Arkenstone away from where it had been, and Bilba gasped. The Arkenstone bounced down the mountain, and Bilba ran after it.

"Did you think I did not know this day would come, when a pack of canting dwarves would come crawling back to the mountain?!"

Bilba tripped and slid down the gold. Smaug followed after him, knocking over as massive stone pillar in his rage. As the pillar fell, its reverberations sound throughout the mountain. Even the dwarves sitting in the clearing above the secret stairs heard it and stood up.

"Was that an earthquake?" one of the dwarves asked.

"That, my lad...was a dragon."

Thorin looked worried.

* * *

The reverberation reached as far as Laketown; in Bard's house, everyone looked up at the sound, and dust fell from the ceiling. Kili was still moaning in pain, repeating Emilia's name over and over again.

"Da?"

"It's coming from the mountain."

Fili leaved Kili's side and approached Bard.

"You should leave us. Take your children; get out of here." Fili tried to tell him.

"And go where? There is nowhere to go." Bard reasoned.

"Are we going to die, Da?"

"No, darling."

"The dragon, it's going to kill us."

Bard looked at his children worriedly for a moment, then reached up and pulled a black arrow, the last of the three that Girion had in Dale, from where it had been hidden as a drying rack for plants. His children looked at the arrow in shock.

"Not if I kill it first."

* * *

Emilia watched the door open again and Demisrie snaked back in.

He didn't speak until he reached her, standing only inches away from her.

"You were always so beautiful," he said, forcefully pressing her against the wall. His lips landed on hers and she fought as his hands moved toward her breasts. His lips moved from hers down her cheek and to her neck. She continuously tried to struggle.

That's when she broke. She moved her hands showing they were no longer tethered to the chains.

Anger and hatred boiled inside of her as she pressed her hands into his skull, fire burning as he screamed.

"This is for everything, every scar, every broken bone. I hate you. I hate every part of you. You hurt him."

"He never loved-" Demisrie started before falling to the floor quickly. His eyes dead and cold.

A pain moved into Emilia's heart and soul causing her to scream out, falling to the ground, barely conscious.

She stared at her hands in a pained state of wonder as ice began to run from her hands and up the walls creating giant spikes. Rushes of wind slashed at her, not in a forceful painful way, but one that calmed her. Then the stone floor began to shift underneath her creating a giant chasm that seemed to swallow the corpse that lay before her. She couldn't help but move to the side to watch it fall, breaking as it hit every rock and ledge on its way down.

Then the chasm, as quickly as it formed, disappeared.

Emilia didn't move, she was in way to much pain to even move an inch.

Then the tears began to fall. Ones of pain and sorrow mixed with relief and adrenaline.

"Don't worry Kili, I'll find you." She said as she slowly inched her way to the door.

The first thing she did was carefully and painfully move back to her old room, finding a suitable outfit to cover herself with. Then she moved to the weapons room, grabbing a bow, arrows, a long sword, and several knives.

Then she took a horse and rode into the night.

* * *

At first they looked like orcs from far away, but as Emilia drew closer, her horse gaining speed, she realized the figures that flew on horseback were elves.

"Tauriel!" She called drawing closer.

The red headed elf stopped.

"Oh, you're safe." Tauriel said as all three of them stopped to talk.

"More or less. Where are they?"

"We've been following a small pack of orcs that are drawing closer and closer to Laketown, I assume the dwarves are there." The male elf, Legolas, answered.

"Alright, well then what are we waiting for?" Emilia answered in a perky tone.

"'We?'" Legolas asked.

"Kili is there, I'm apart of the company. I'm obviously coming. Where else would I go?" She said.

"I'm going to agree with her. She belongs with the man she loves."


	17. Chapter 17: Healing Hearts

"The King under the mountain is dead. I took his throne," the dragon bellowed loudly as he looked for Bilba, and Bilba bursted out of a pile of gold beneath Smaug's claw. The small hobbit ran down a staircase, and leapt off the side as Smaug's head swung at her.

"I ate his people like a wolf among sheep."

If Bilba were not trembling out of fear by now, she sure was now. As the Arkenstone bounced rapidly down the mountain of gold, Bilba slid rapidly after it with Smaug in pursuit.

"I kill where I wish, when I wish. My armor is iron."

The words echoed throughout the treasure hoard.

The Arkenstone and Bilba slid under a covered stone structure; Smaug opened his large wings and glided down to land atop the structure. Bilba could feel the cavern rumble under the dragon's massive weight.

"No blade can pierce me!" Smaug yelled. Bilba shrieked and covered her pointed ears, feeling her hands shaking against her head. She wished she were not alone.

* * *

 **In Laketown, Bard and Bain snuck through the town. Bard was holding the arrow as he looked around a corner to check whether all is clear.**

"Alright."

"A black arrow? Why did you never tell me?" Bain pestered.

"Because you did not need to know," Bard retorted.

They ducked behind a wall as soldiers passed by. Bard puts his arm on Bain's shoulder and indicated the tower with the dwarvish windlance on top. Bain had a look of bewilderment with wide eyes and mouth slightly agape.

"Listen to me carefully: I need you to distract the guards. Once I'm at the top of the tower, I'll set the arrow to the bow."

Just then, Braga and the other soldiers, who had been sent to find Bard, see him.

"There he is! Bard! After him!"

All the soldiers were now turned to Bard's direction. They all had looks on their faces that resembled a predator locking in on its prey.

"Quickly! Down there! Go!"

Bard and Bain run from the soldiers, scrambling in any which direction.

"Stop him!" Braga yelled.

Bard and Bain ran through shop and docks, knocking over various items in their way. The soldiers followed quickly, yelling "Stop him!" The shopkeepers yelled angrily at both parties. When they had put some distance in front of the guards, Bard stopped Bain and handed him the black arrow.

"Bain! Bain. Keep it safe. Don't let anyone find it. I'll deal with them."

Bain violently shook his head.

"I won't leave you!" His voice was wavering, breaking.

"Go!"

As Bain ran off, Bard turned and faced Braga, who had just caught up to him.

"Braga."

"You are under arrest." Braga announced.

"On what charge?" Bard asked,shocked.

"Any charge the Master chooses."

Bard turned and saw that he was surrounded. He then turned back and suddenly punched Braga in the face, then punched his way through the soldiers and ran with the soldiers in pursuit. Bain, seeing the soldiers chase his father, jumped into a boat and hid the arrow beneath some ropes and fishing gear.

Bard ran through the town; he leapt across a channel using boats as stepping stones. He used his momentum to cause the last boat to slide several feet across the water until he could step onto the opposite bank. A soldier trying to follow him slipped and fell out of a boat into the water. Bard ran down an alley, but a foot was suddenly stuck out of a doorway and Bard tripped over it, falling into a pile of wood. As he sat up, dazed, Alfrid stepped forward, followed by the Master. As Bard struggled to get up, the Master lifted a wooden pole and hit Bard in the head with it, knocking him out.

 **~-0-~**

The dwarves in the clearing on the mountain saw an orange glow from the mountain coming through the door.

"What about Bilba?" Ori asked, fear creeping in his voice.

"Give her more time."

"Trying to do what? To be killed?" Balin exclaimed, completely flabbergasted.

"You're afraid." Thorin tested.

Balin paused for a moment, then stepped up to Thorin, testing his authority.

"Yes, I'm afraid. I fear for YOU. A sickness lies upon that treasure hoard, a sickness that drove your grandfather mad."

Thorin felt a wave of unexplainable anger wash over him.

"I am not my grandfather," he seethed, clenching his fists.

"You're not yourself. The Thorin I know would not hesitate to go in there-"

"I will not risk this quest for the life of one burglar," Thorin interrupted.

Balin looked at Thorin, a look of complete disgust on his face.

"Bilba. Her name is Bilba. And she is the one you claim to love."

Thorin looked contemplatively out into the night.

* * *

 **Smaug was searching for Bilba, who was hiding under the stone structure. She was breathing heavily, contemplating running, or giving herself to the dragon, given the circumstances.**

"It's Oakenshield. That filthy dwarvish usurper! He sent you in here for the Arkenstone, didn't he?"

Bilba seethed at the dragon's harsh words.

Smaug circled around the structure; Bilba, hiding beneath it, saw the Arkenstone at the other end of the structure.

"No, no, no. I don't know what you're talking about." Bilba completely denied it, wringing her hands.

Bilba started to sneak over to the Arkenstone, but was forced to hide behind a pillar as Smaug looked beneath the structure.

"Don't bother denying it. I guessed his foul purpose some time ago. But it matters not. Oakenshield's quest will fail. The darkness is coming, it will spread to every corner of the land. It already has been for centuries. The world will burn!"

Bilba shuddered at the dragon's words. Then she remembered that when one elemental kills another their power is absorbed. Then she remembered Emilia being taken by Demisrie Coul.

Bilba Baggins wanted to fall down and cry.

* * *

 **In Laketown, Bolg and his Orcs snuck around on the rooftops, looking for the dwarves.**

"Shugi Khozd-shrakhun hum. Nuzdidiz." [Translation: The filthy dwarf rats are somewhere here. I can smell them.]

* * *

 **Bilba was still hiding behind a pillar shaking in her boots.**

"You have been used, thief in the shadows. You were only ever a means to an end. The coward Oakenshield has weighed the value of your life and found it worth nothing."

"No. No. No, you're lying!"

 _He loves me, he would never do that._

"What did he promise you? A share of the treasure? As if it was his to give. I will not part with a single coin. Not one piece of it."

 _He never promised me any gold,_ she wanted to scream at the Dragon. Bilba, hearing that Smaug was on top of the structure, sought the Arkenstone lying a few feet away from the structure and made a run for it. Smaug saw her and whipped his tail, sending Bilba, the Arkenstone, and gold flying. Bilba tumbled and landed against a pillar.

"My teeth are swords! My claws are spears! My wings are a hurricane!" As Smaug displayed his wings, Bilba noticed a scale missing on the left side of Smaug's chest. She whispered to herself.

"So it is true. The black arrow found its mark."

"What did you say?"

"Uh, uh, I was just saying your reputation precedes you, oh Smaug the tyrannical. Truly, you have no equal on this earth."

She was so thankful Emilia had taught her to lie. She felt it was the only thing keeping her alive at the moment. As Bilba spoke, she slowly backed up. She was standing in a bare, open spot, and Smaug faced her. As she finished speaking, Bilba looked down and saw the Arkenstone lying just a few feet from her, and she gazed at it longingly.

"I am almost tempted to let you take it, if only to see Oakenshield suffer, watch it destroy him, watch it corrupt his heart and drive him mad."

Bilba and Smaug face off; Bilba panted. Then Smaug began to rear his head.

"But I think not. I think our little game ends here. So tell me, thief, how do you choose to die?"

Smaug's chest glowed with a light from inside, and Smaug's head streaked forward, jaws open, to eat Bilba. However, Bilba put on her ring and disappeared, and Smaug's jaws closed on an empty space. Angrily, he raised his head again, and the glow from his chest traveled up his neck; roaring, Smaug bellowed out a massive wall of flames over the area in which Bilba had been standing. Unseen by him, coins on the ground moved as an invisible Hobbit ran away and up some stairs. Reaching a hallway, Bilba exhaustedly pulled of the Ring and continued running. Smaug raged about, blowing fire and destroying pillars. His roared echo in the distance.

* * *

 **In Laketown, Bard woke up in a cell. Braga and his soldiers drank and partied nearby. Bard rubbed his aching head as he woke, then jolted upright when he realized he was in prison.**

 **~-0-~**

Bofur ran through Laketown, trying to find Kingsfoil. He smelled some flowers on a windowsill and rejected them. As he continued running about, Bolg and other orcs spied him from a rooftop.

"Khozd!" [Translation: Dwarves!]

Bolg growled softly. Bofur soon found a pig eating some weeds; he yanked it out of the pig's mouth and examined it, then smiled and turned to get back to Kili. Bolg and his Orcs followed on the rooftops.

 **~-0-~**

At Bard's house, Sigrid leaned over the balcony outside the front door, looking for her father. She heard a noise and called out to her father.

"Da? Is that you, Da?"

She looked around for Bard but did not look up and to see Orcs creeping on the roofs of the neighboring houses. Inside, Oin heard a noise on the roof and looked up. As Sigrid turned to walk back inside, an Orc dropped on the balcony behind her. She screamed and slammed the door, but the Orc stopped it with his sword. Hearing the screams, Bain, Tilda, and the dwarves jumped up. Kili was still moaning in pain.

As Bofur hurried toward Bard's house, an Orcs leapt at him from above. As the Orc swung its axe, Bofur fell backward and dropped the prized Kingsfoil.

At the house, another door opened and an Orc strode inside. Oin threw a stack of plates at its head, but another Orc broke through the roof and fell into the house. The first orc at the door swung at Sigrid, at she fell backward onto the table benches. She slid under the table and pulled the bench sideways next to her as a shield. Fili grappled with an Orc. As another orc fell in through the roof, Tilda threw a plate at it, then Sigrid pulled her under the table as well.

"Get down!"

An orc threatened Bain, and Bain pushed the bench at it, knocking it over. Bain then grabbed the end of the bench and threw it up, hitting the Orc in the head. More orcs jumped in through the roof, and one approached Kili, who was lying in bed.

Bofur tried to crawl away, but the Orc grabbed him by the legs and pulled him back, then threw him onto a table which tipped and caused Bofur to roll away. The orc raised its sword to cut Bofur down, but was suddenly skewered by an arrow through its chest. It fell over dead.

In the house, the girls screamed as an Orc flipped over the table they were hiding under. Another Orc leapt to the balcony in front of the house, but suddenly, Emilia appeared and stabbed it in the throat with her knife. She pulled out her other knife as well, and began killing the Orcs in the house with a sense of lost elegance and grace, almost like a dancer performing for the hundredth time. Legolas jumped in through one of the holes in the roof. He too began killing Orcs. Tauriel followed shortly behind. An Orc approached Kili and grabbed him by the wounded leg. As Kili screamed in pain, Emilia, alerted by his screams, threw a knife and it plunged into the Orc's throat. Legolas and Tauriel slay Orcs left and right. As an Orc ran at them, Fili grabbed Bain and forces him down.

Emilia killed the Orc, then turned to kill another one. Kili stabbed the Orc as well with the knife Emilia had thrown earlier, and they together kill the Orc. But then, Kili fell over onto the floor, howling in pain, and Emilia looked at him in worry.

An Orc, Bolg's lieutenant, fled from the house and jumped over the balcony, landing in a boat in the water below. He yelled to Bolg, who was striding toward the house.

"Ekinskeld. Obguranid!" [Translation: Oakenshield has gone!]

"Gur! Arangim!" [Translation: Fall back! Regroup at the bridge!]

The remaining Orcs joined him.

In the house, Legolas stabbed an Orc and tripped it, and it fell backward over the balcony railing and landed in the boat below. The boat acted like a seesaw and sent Bolg's lieutenant orc, who had jumped into the boat earlier, flying up into the air, where Legolas sliced off its head with his knives. As the orc's body fell into the water below, its head still looked at Legolas. Legolas released the head and it fell, bouncing off of the boat into the water with a loud splash. Legolas looked and saw the remaining Orcs running through Laketown after Bolg.

Bofur dazedly got up and saw the Kingsfoil lying in front of him.

In the house, Bain spoke to Emilia amazedly.

"You killed them all."

"There are others. Tauriel, come." Tauriel nodded and moved close to Legolas, but he turned at Emilia as if to signal for her to follow. She shook her head with a slight smile. Tauriel smiled at her, shaking her hand quickly.

"May we meet again someday?"

"Not under these sort of circumstances I hope."

Tauriel smirked. Emilia nodded toward Legolas.

"We're losing him!" Oin called, turning her attention back to Kili.

Kili moaned in pain. Hearing a noise, Emilia grabbed her knives, then saw Bofur running up with the Kingsfoil. Her eyes open in shock and she took the leaves from Bofur's stunned grasp. He was too stunned to speak and was looking at her like she was back from the dead.

"Athelas." She breathed knowing exactly what she was about to do.

She reverently examined it.

"Athelas…" she breathed again remembering the old ancient spell.

"What are you doing…?" Bofur asked.

"I'm going to save him."

Emilia turned to the eldest girl.

"Does your father keep any alcohol in the house?"

"For Kili? I have never heard of a medicine with alcohol in it," Oin questioned.

"No, not for him for me. It will take the edge off of me," she turned to the girl, "please."

Sigrid nodded before running off.

* * *

 **In the mountain, Thorin had decided to save Bilba. He charged with his sword out through the tunnels, and stopped as flames lit up the walls of the tunnel. He ran out onto the same overhang Bilba had earlier reached, then stopped abruptly when he saw the mountain of treasure all around him. It completely clouded his earlier yearning to hold his love, now he wanted to hold the treasure. He breathed heavily. Just then, Bilba ran up to him.**

"You're alive!"

 _I had expected a more loving welcome,_ Bilba thought to herself.

"Not for much longer!" she replied sarcastically.

"Did you find the Arkenstone?"

"The dragon's coming!" she retorted, trying to avert the conversation.

"The Arkenstone!"

They are both standing at the entrance to the tunnel, but Thorin was blocking Bilba's way. They paused and looked at each other for several seconds, then Thorin spoke again, more quietly but much more forcefully.

"Did you find it?"

They stared at each other for several seconds, panting heavily.

"No. We have to get out."

Bilba tried to enter the tunnel, but Thorin swung his sword across it, blocking the entrance. He pressed the blade against Bilba, and Bilba stumbled back, the sword still touching her. Bilba and Thorin faced each other, with the tip of Thorin's sword against Bilba's chest just above her cleavage.

"Thorin. Thorin!"

Thorin stepped forward, forcing Bilba to step back. Bilba's eyes were open in fear, and Thorin's face was steel and blank of emotion. It was not the Thorin Bilba had seen before.

Suddenly, Bilba looked off to the side, and Thorin heard a sound in that direction. He turned and saw Smaug approaching over the mountain of treasure. Smaug, recognizing Thorin, snarled. Suddenly, the remaining dwarves ran out of the tunnel and faced Smaug, their weapons out. Smaug roared and rushed at them; his chest and neck glow orange.

"You will burn!"

Just as Smaug bellowed fire at them, the dwarves and Bilba turned and jumped off the staircase. They tumbled down the pile of treasure and landed near the entrance to another tunnel, which they ran into.

"Come on, Bilba!"

Angrily, Smaug breathed fire in all directions. Thorin, the last one in the door, was pushed in by the force of the flames. He ran into the room at the other end of the tunnel with the back of his coat on fire, and he threw himself on the ground and rolled to extinguish the flames. He jumped back up.

"Come on."

With Smaug roaring in the background, they ran.

* * *

 **At Bard's house, Emilia washed and tore apart the Kingsfoil in a tub of water held by Tilda. Fili, Oin, and Bofur picked up a moaning Kili and laid him on the table and tried to hold him down.**

"Hold him down please, I need him steady," Emilia commanded, her voice audibly shaky.

She approached with the bowl of water and examined Kili's wound. Seeing how black and festered it was, she looked away in worry, knowing how much this was going to hurt him, and herself. As the others looked on, Emilia closed her eyes and began chanting in a language, much older than anything the other dwarves had heard before, older than Elvish, while she kneaded the soaked Kingsfoil in her hand, then pressed it to Kili's wound. Her eyes were now a light blue in color, and her hair now had turquoise highlights in it.

The dwarves watched in a frightened awe as she spoke. Then their eyes were diverted to her hands. As she continued with the spell a black substance, almost like a thick ooze, moved up her nimble fingers, to her hands, up her arms, then it trailed up her neck and into her eyes which went a glassy black, almost as if her pupils dilated to cover her eyes. As the sick substance moved up her body, the color from her hair faded, making its already very dark color, even darker.

Kili screamed and thrashed in pain, and Sigrid jumped in to help hold him down. She called her sister to come help as well.

Emilia's head threw back with a shuddering gasp. She still continued chanting the words over and over again.

Other than an oblivious Kili, everyone noticed Emilia straining to keep up, her strength failing. Her voice was breaking, her breathing was unsteady, and her hands were shaking. She knew what this was going to cost her, but she was so close to finishing the spell, though she knew the most painful part was just ahead.

Fili looked at her strangely, and Oin listened in amazement through his fairly dented hearing trumpet. Kili began calming down. In his hearing, it seemed as though Emilia's breaking voice had become echoing and all-encompassing. To his vision, she appeared to start glowing like a star. He stared at her, glassy-eyed not noticing the sick like substance that was crawling around her. Soon he went unconscious just as the black started slipping up her hands as if there were none left in Kili, and when it did, Emilia gasped out of pain, but kept uttering the words. The dwarves and the children both let go of Kili as Emilia staggered backwards her head in her hands.

She screamed only once as she fell to the floor securing herself against the wall. She was trying to piece her head back together, the pain was extreme. No one dared touch her until the black faded from her eyes.


End file.
